Star Wars CLOSED Star Wars: Episode X: DUEL OF THE FATES ~ 2021 Best RPG ~

Lin (mini-combo with @Sinrebirth )
The Den of the Lost Boys



Lin stared at the footage showing the destruction of her ship. Her entire life dream had just blown up. She could not react, shout, curse, cry, laugh... she just felt numb. All her plans, everything she had worked so hard to get away from Akiva... gone.

Dade was still speaking to her. She had missed a lot... something about a rogue Kubaz killing people instead of saving them. He was crying. Lin glanced around the stuffy den. A lot of them were.

Oh come on! she wanted to say. No-one had ever shed a tear for the all the hardships she had endured. It never did any good.

But... something softened in her. These boys were not just fighting for themselves, they had a cause. Something worth caring about.

The Resistance.

No-one had ever cared about Lin, and somehow, that had hardened her to resist caring about anyone else. It was like a profound and new concept to her.

Am I a member of the Resistance now?

She was not sure yet. She looked again at Dade, then across to Tung.

"So..." she said, hesitantly. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Dade growled, not at her, but at the situation.

"We need to hit something that belongs to the First Order, and hit it hard."

"But what?" a child said, worriedly. "We can't take down the entire First Order!"

"It's not like we can stop Stormtroopers, or TIEs, or stuff like that."

"Maybe one of their special projects they really care about...?"

With a snap of his fingers, Dade realised what they could do. "The Armand Isard Prison. It's where they train and create the Agents. It's like the best of the best. We should take it down." He looked at Lin. "Maybe you'll get a crack at that one who killed your friend."

He wasn't incentivizing her to join them, as far as young Dade was concerned she was already one of them. She'd lost something to the First Order, and she wasn't going to put up with it. That made her Resistance in his eyes.

Lin shook her head at first. "You're crazy! Those Agents are un..."

But she stopped. That Agent had killed Rizo. The Ranat had given his life so she could run. She had shed tears for him last night. Oh, she had told herself it was just the alcohol. But sometimes when the drink talks, it tells it straight, no matter how deep down you bury your feelings. The Agent had taken Rizo's life without hesitation or mercy - just like the First Order took everything.

Because no-one ever fights back.

Lin was a fighter, and so were these boys. Maybe she could give some payback? For Rizo. For everyone they stepped on. She knew it would not be easy...

To get the best chuba, you gotta face the rathtar.

Lin decided to just try out a new thing, see how it fit, just for a while. She was going to do something worth caring about.

"Okay, this Isard Prison, we'll have to check it out, if it's fortified we'll need some firepower and..." The datachips were humming in her head now. "That Kubaz. How do you think we can find him?"

Dade flinched. "You wanna ask that Kubaz to help? He left us to die, Lin!" He sounded appalled, and squeezed his fists, tears in his eyes. "He ran around shooting up politicians and left us!"

Lin raised her hands in apology. "Okay, okay, not the Kubaz then!"

There was a blink on Dade's comm. "Aqua-Man was at the fight! My warning was too late, but he made it." There were a lot of happy sounds, and Dade explained to Lin. "Aqua-Man is a Gallusian shop-keeper, he helped me escape, supplied me with clothes and a shower, would'ja believe."

Their spirits were slightly lifted. "Maybe we should head to his place, see if he has any ideas, or even weapons and stuff?" A kid added.

A shower...

Lin swooned at the thought. Her new life as a Resistance heroine was looking up already.

"Yes, I agree. Let's go and see this Aqua-man!" she said immediately.

Dade grinned, raised his voice slightly. "Us two will head to his shop, and I want you guys to scout out the Armand Isard facility. Find me a way in, and we'll blow it sky-high! Those Agents won't mess with us ever again!" He held up a fist, and the other young teens did so too.

"We are the spark that will ignite the flame of the Resistance!" They said it unison, that old saying from before the Battle of Crait still reverberating in the put-down corners of the galaxy.

Lin listened, slightly bemused, as they recited their solemn motto.

"Yeah, right. That." she searched the chamber again. "So... do we have anything for breakfast on the way?"

@QueenSabe7 @Mitth_Fisto @darthbernael @HanSolo29 @Kalio_Dynkos @Shadowsun @Jerjerrod-Lennox @The Jedi in the Pumas @Zedd-Vega @TheSilentInfluence @galactic-vagabond422 @Master Vo'Un'Var @CosmoHender

 

OOC: Mini combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Vicrul Ren
Coruscant

The darkness swirled around the Knight of Ren, an insatiable desire to please his master, a machine with only one singular purpose, bred to destroy. All that mattered now was her the Last Jedi, everything else was immaterial, distractions from the main event. Vicrul sat in his seat, continuing his methodical sharpening and cleaning of his blades. It honed its focus, directing it, following the edge of the curved blade to the single point. The point that could well indeed slay the Last Jedi.

He sensed the Twins view him, his attention seemingly on his weapons as he responded.

"The Last Jedi is all that matters"

The First Order liaison was relatively speechless about what to say or do to encourage them. “The Supreme Leader would want the criminals apprehended, my lords -“

Hattaska made a fist and they began to choke. “You don’t speak for the Supreme Leader. We do.”

Jaedec, mostly silent as ever, keyed the sensors from inside the meditation sphere. There was some activity in the Force, certainly, through he doubted it was the scavenger. A dogfight was on-going, and the ship was doing all manner of evasive action against a depreciating amount of TIE Strikers, but it wasn’t anything of relevance to them. But there was also a curious darkness, like a smudge in his perception.

“There is a Jedi on world, and... Sith artefacts,” he reported.

Orl Ren looked intrigued. “Oh?”

They had different orders about Sith artefacts - they were to secure and have them delivered to Kylo Ren. Indeed, that was the standing direction for the entire regime. Sellik choked as released. “Yes! Yes! We had a report about those. Chancellor Hux was investigating it personally.”

Hattaska eased the yoke forward, taking them down towards the planet. But the rogue fighter was rising up towards them as well, though Hattaska paid it minimal attention. “It’s taking our approach lane,” chimed in Jaedec. They were cloaked, of course, so it wouldn’t see them until too late.

Their leader eyed Vicrul. “Shoot it down, brother.”

Vicrul did not return Hattaska's gaze, turning to climb into of the turrets his mind cooled and sharpened focusing on the fighter, with the squeeze of the trigger he fired, making themselves visible to whoever was trying to escape the planet, but it would not matter, their fate was sealed. No one and nothing escaped the iron grip of the First Order.

TAG: @Sinrebirth @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

Combo with Sinre!

IC: Poe Dameron (mostly) & Rey Skywalker
Eclipse

Rey felt numb, unnervingly numb. Luke's command hung around in her thoughts as she disengaged from their encounter and slowly rejoined the others, listening distractedly. Kylo - Ben's masked visage from her vision weighed down on her heavily.

It couldn't be. What she saw could not come to be. She would not be the one to kill him; she would be the one to remind him that he no longer belonged to darkness. He belonged with her, in light.

Any other course she would not consider. Not yet.

"Rey?"

Her eyes found Finn, looking at her expectedly. "I will join you," she replied, designating herself as part of his and Rose's team. "You will need me." The Jedi didn't say this with arrogance, but with great concern. Where they were going would be incredibly dangerous and she knew her skills combined with Finn's growing ones would be an asset to the others that would traverse the temple depths with them.

Rose looked back at her. "You're sure? You don't have somewhere else you need to be?"

It was piqued; not sarcastic. Finn looked hopeful. Chewbacca whined with some uncertainty.

"What if Kylo Ren is on Coruscant? Won't he sense you?" This from Beaumont, who of course knew more about the Force than the others, even Finn with his nascent sensitivity. "Won't that get the team caught?"

Poe was looking at her, unerringly. He seemed to have a knowing expression. "Can we have a sec, Rey?" He smiled in that way he did, moving to place his hand on the small of her back and guide her, though he would never actually presume enough to touch her and physically guide her.

He was giving her that General look.

She had opened her mouth to reply to Beaumont, though she wasn't sure what she would have said exactly, when Poe interjected. She allowed him to direct her to an aside.

Rey saw his expression and immediately went on guard. "You're not doing this without me," she told him, a slight cant to her head and a 'dare you to tell me no' look. "I meant what I said - I will not let them walk into... whatever they will walk into alone."

Poe smiled freely. "Leia told me that I had to accept it when you said things, but she also told me to look out for the fear driving it."

"You're defensive and all I've asked is for a chat." He swallowed. "I think this is about Be - about Kylo Ren," Poe amended. "You think you have to end all this. That it's your job to, um, 'confront him'." He had switched to a deeper voice and smiled. "Is that how a Jedi would say it?"

The argumentative side of her, the one that had Rey and Poe bickering harmlessly during most of any of their interactions years ago, reared its head to say hello. "I am not being defensive!"

It was a brief visit.

She sighed, her shoulders sagging with the release of some tension. "I'm the only one who can... 'confront him,' she mocked lightly, using the same altered tone. "It's not my job - it's my destiny." Searching the roguish good looks of the pilot before her, the Jedi knew his concerns came from a place of love. They always had.

Reaching out a hand, she placed it reassuringly upon one of his arms and gave it a squeeze. "Do you doubt me?" It wasn't an accusatory question, but rather one she genuinely wanted an answer to and from someone who truly knew her. Well, as much as she allowed, anyways.

Poe smiled at her, lifting the hand he was holding to place fingers on her arm and squeezing back. "I don't doubt you, not at all, Rey. You killed Palpatine, and Snoke. I believe that you saved Ben, too. Whatever has happened since, that's not on you."

Conversationally, he went on. "So, where is this confrontation going to happen?"

There was the flash of the place within her, from the vision - the two thrones.

Her and Ben upon them -

She had stiffened noticeably, then released her grip on Poe. "I was shown a place... in a vision. But it is not clear yet."

Rey knew that was an answer you give when you don't want to reveal the actual answer, but she was still unnerved by her conversation with Luke. Her brain felt scrambled.

Poe sighed, and stepped forward, drawing her into an hug, that he hoped she wouldn’t resist. She was upset, and he wanted to help, and he wanted to put her on the path where she could wake up and not feel haunted by nine years ago.

He had long suspected that she’d left because she felt guilty. That she hadn’t done enough. That she had been all over the place in that last day, thinking she’d killed Chewbacca, discovering her parentage and their fate, finding out about the Dyad, saving, finding and losing Ben in a handful of hours. It had been an impossible day. Inconceivable.

All for the galaxy to remain enflamed and rumours of Kylo Ren’s survival chasing them all.

It should have been Finn, but he was still hurt about her leaving, abandoning his development as a Jedi, caught up in his emotions from a decade ago, confused at how he felt about Rose - how she’d waited so long was beyond Poe. But it was Poe who’d been able to see Rey, in her absence, in the shape of the pain that he’d seen in the Resistance every day in the years since she’d left. But he’d never assume anything about the woman - she was so much more complicated than any person he had ever known, like a Kyber crystal that refracted a hundred different lights in an impossible to decipher lattice.

He just wanted her to not hurt.

So Poe simply held her for a long time, or tried to. If she cried, he’d stay longer. He’d wait until she was done, and then he’d ask her again, softly.

“Where, Rey.”

Rey wasn't comfortable in Poe's embrace - at first. But then, after a prolonged moment, she felt his worry for her and his need to offer comfort bleed across their connection, and she gave in. Wrapping her arms about him in return, she turned her face away and leaned into his shoulder, closing her eyes, melting into her friend's arms.

It had been so long since she had been held by someone with such pure intentions. Almost a decade since Ben had pulled her to him, clutching her tightly as if the life force he had given back to her was the only thing keeping him alive, keeping him tethered to reality. And, it had been. An excruciatingly short blip of time after such destruction but in that instant she had known more about Ben Solo than she could have ever imagined, energies passing between them that only a Dyad could provide; a bond that would never, could never fade.

She recalled the light within him, burning like a white fire, a beacon. Of hope.

It was then that Rey realized how tightly she was holding Poe, pressing her cheek into his chest and her fingers wound tightly into the back of his jacket. Slowly, she let go, stepping back.

"Mortis." Her reply was strong, but saying the destination aloud sent a shiver down her spine. "It will happen on Mortis."

Notwithstanding that he was focused on being supportive, Poe didn’t quite manage to keep the disbelief out of his face, and he definitely didn’t keep it out of the Force. “Mortis is a myth.”

He amended quickly. “I mean, it’d be impossible to find -“ A thought occurred to him, a nudge from his memory that clearly caught him off guard. “And I know you think I’m wasted air on any mission, Master Jedi -“ he cracked a grin at her.

“But the thing is, I know who can find the system you’re looking for.”

Before she could object, he raised his hands. “It’s not one of my Flight Academy friends,” his tone shifted to the defensive, as if he was literally at war with himself. “But those guys are nice.”

They were unreliable, at best.

He seemed to manage to decide he was going to tell her. “She’s a navigator, lives on Bonadon. Force sensitive, like you.” He gave her a look, amended that. “Not exactly like you. Spice diggers used to pay her to find deposits on asteroids.”

He knew what she was going to say.

“She’s a little off, but if this place exists, she can find it.” He was standing close to her, as if the distance between them hadn’t been fully reasserted yet, his eyes looking into hers.

The Force began to churn with Poe's revelation, a firm hand beginning to lead Rey on the very path she had only just began to search for. Is it possible that of all the possible beings that could take her to Mortis, one of her closest confidants was that person?

There were no coincidences in the Force.

Rey crossed her arms over her chest and cocked a brow, showing her mild bewilderment. "She sounds... reliable," she quipped before asking the obvious. "Who is she?" The fact that Poe's contact was a sensitive did pique her interest. She may simply be untrained, or unwilling to use her gifts to their full strengths.

It was a curiosity that the Jedi now wanted to figure out.

"Like I say - a Force user, always reliable." Poe said with a smirk, hinting at how very unreliable Rey could be if she wanted.

"Her ancestors were big in the Jedi Order, Sunriders, or something. Kinda similar story to the Skywalkers, I hear. But her mother fell for some nobleman, and once she'd had a kid, he fed her to rancors..." Poe winced. "Grandmom killed the guy and left the Order - missed out on Order 66 and all that mess, and Nomi grew up at the edges, using her skills to make her way."

"Zorii hired her once or twice, told me about Nomi, said she's the real thing." Poe cracked a smile at the thought of the spice runner, bit his lower lip in thought before he refocused. "She's been keeping an eye on Nomi for me, letting me know if any other Force users cross paths with her, and trying to send them our way. No luck so far, but yeah."

"What do you think? Is it worth a shot?" He looked at her, soul-searching again. "Hey," his voice was gentle. "I get it. No attachments. Jedi path, I've read that story too. But..."

He caught himself.

"I'm just saying that you don't have to this alone."

Nomi was not a name Rey was familiar with though Sunrider was a distantly recognizable surname amongst the countless Jedi stories she had dredged up during her travels. It was an intriguing thread that linked her to this woman she had never met, and it became more taut as her direction became certain.

She nodded towards her friend, answering more than one of his questions. "It's worth checking out, and..." Once more, Rey placed a hand on his arm, bringing out a full smile that had become increasingly more rare for her to do over the years. "As you need me, I do need you. All of you."

She did not need to say their names aloud, knowing Poe would already be thinking of Finn and Rose just as she was.

Poe nodded, returning the smile. "Well then it's settled. We'll head to Bonadon aboard the Falcon, and Finn and Rose can lead the mission to Coruscant as planned. The sooner you get to Ben and sort him out, the sooner this will be over." With a nod, he placed a hand on her shoulder, and turned to go off.

Of course, they'd not discussed any of that, but there he was, doing his General thing.

But a Sunrider? Alive. That was too much of a chance for Rey Skywalker.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Barriss Offee

Barriss frowned slightly when she noticed that Ventress' lightsaber was indeed someone with her despite leaving it behind in the ship. She didn't know how it ended up on her person, but that was a question for some other time.

"I came here to confront my past," she told Nomi. "That is why I think you gave me this lightsaber, after all. It's a reminder of who I was. So is this Temple. So I decided to stop at Coruscant on my way to Agora Six, thought it was about time that I returned home. I'm even in what was once my bedroom. I've been talking with a few familiar faces as well. Memories of those who also called this place home. And before coming here, I also met the one known as Kylo Ren. He was the one who took my old master's lightsaber from me."

She sighed and brought out Ventress' lightsaber from her robe. "The crystal has been trying to appeal to our old bond, wanting me to give into my frustration and fear. But though our stories are entwined, the crystal is the same as it was decades ago. I am not. I think it is time for change. Time for healing. This lightsaber has been the source of so much pain. I imagine that is has forgotten what it was before becoming a tool of the dark side. I'm not the only one with a past to confront and be reminded of. If I can, I would like to purify the crystal."

Nomi looked at her, with understanding eyes. “You could do that, of course.” She nodded. “I could even teach you.”

“But it would need you to be as clear as what you are attempting to achieve...” her eyes searched Barriss. “If not, the kyber crystal might push you off-balance.”

“It is wounded - it needs to be healed, just like you.”

Barriss nodded. "I understand," she told Nomi. "And I am ready. You are my teacher, I am your student."

“Alright then,” Nomi said. “Close your eyes, Barriss, and imagine the connection between you and the kyber. As you do so, use the Force to unwrap it from the lightsaber, and release it from the hilt.” She paused. “Take your time at that process, because you didn’t built it, and so you don’t know it as well as you would otherwise.”

“Also - it’ll grow stronger when it’s no longer bound within the metal, so keep your mental walls up - as a fortress inside the center of your mind, open enough to connect, but secure enough to do so without handing the kyber full access.” Her voice had taken on an all most hypnotic quality, as she soothes Barriss into the supple mental state.

Barriss closed her eyes, breathing softly as she focused on Nomi's instructions. The lightsaber drifted from her hands, floating in front of the meditating woman. Slowly the lightsaber's components were taken apart, leaving the corrupted kyber crystal without the metal that had encased it.

Like before, the kyber crystal spoke to her. It told her that this attempt was foolish, that she could not succeed. This had no affect on Barriss. Once she had shared her hate with the crystal, creating their bond. Now she would share something else to create their new bond. Her love.

As the ghosts in the Temple had reminded Barriss, love was the answer. So she focused on that love she had for her master, for Ahsoka, and even for Nomi.

The kyber and her made a small mindscape; it was the Temple, with Barriss pressed to the tree in the center of the garden, Jedi students watching her as Anakin glared at her, holding her in place with an obvious - in hindsight - aggressive use of the Force.

One of her worst memories.

The kyber wanted to stop her in her tracks - to surrender her momentum to guilt.

Barriss refused to surrender, of course. The memory changed. She was still in the garden, but years earlier. The tree was not yet fully grown yet. Barriss now stood among many other younglings, but her attention wasn't drawn to them. It was drawn to two figures standing on the sidelines, watching. One of the figures was Master Yoda. And next to him was Luminara Unduli, only a Knight then.

Barriss realized that this memory was from the day she was made Barriss' apprentice. It hadn't come as a surprise, everyone was expecting it. But it was still one of the happiest moments of her life.

The kyber howled, betrayed, knitting back together with her light. The connection was severed -

And the crystal went blank - empty.

Neutral.

It was ready for her to fill it anew.

When Barriss opened her eyes, she could no longer feel the rage of the kyber crystal. She looked down and saw in her hands the kyber crystal, no longer a corrupted red but a purified white. Smiling, she reconstructed the lightsaber and ignited its blade.

"I did it," Barriss whispered to herself in awe as she stared at the now white blade. "Nomi, I did it."

The snap-hiss echoed through the halls of the Jedi Temple, a loud announcement that something was reborn.

The crystal gave a white, pure blade, signifying that she was no longer Jedi, but no longer on the darker paths. It was a beautiful thing, and Nomi smiled, genuinely, and openly, at her oldest friend. "You did it, Barriss, you did it."

Her pride and support swelled in the Force.

"Did you hear that?" A loud, metallic voice, as if through a stormtrooper helmet speaker.

Barriss deactivated the lightsaber when she heard the nearby voice. "I'm not alone," she told Nomi. "I'm not sure when I'll be able to get to Agora Six, since leaving Coruscant will probably be harder than getting in. I'm also not sure if my destiny is on Agora Six, since Kylo Ren is strong and there are few who can stand up to him. I guess there are still some things that I need to figure out. But thank you, Nomi. Thank you for your guidance and your friendship. I wouldn't be at this point without you." She smiled. "And until we see each other again, this is goodbye."

Nomi smiled. "I thought as much. I'll send someone else to help the Bendu... I have someone in mind, actually." She turned her head. "The Last Jedi was just told about me... so I imagine I'll have some visitors as well soon." For a moment she pressed her lips together into uncertainty.

"Goodbye, Barriss," she said, with a sense of finality. "May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you too," Barriss whispered. Then Nomi was gone and she was alone. Slipping the lightsaber in her robes, Barriss left her old room. She definitely felt different now. A good different.

But she also knew that there was still much to do. Even if she was not a Jedi, she had a responsibility. A duty. One that she could not ignore.

The galaxy needed Barriss Offee.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Rhoen Aquilla
Corellia

As they lept into hyperspace avoiding all imperial attention Rhoen sat back in his seat. It wouldn't take too long to get to Corellia, the Core Planets being so close together as they were. Though it did give him time to think about the last time he was here. A mission to liberate some Corellian vessels for the Resistance that were being held up by the First Order. This was Syal's home, similar and different from his. A green orb that sat in a field of stars, much like Chandrila, though the shipyards that hovered around did make it stand out from the 'Breadbasket of the Core'. The people were also different, Corellians always fought back, always stood tall. Chadrailans resisted in smaller ways, quieter ways, until they could no longer stay silent.

Syal's family was still there, he could still remember the sweat on his hands as he approached her father to ask to marry her. Though he would take that a thousand times again over what it was now. Subjugated by the First Order, turned back into what it used to be. A humans first Corellia first little fiefdom, still under the control of an Empire not of their own creation. The very worst parts of Corellian society were on display.

He couldn't fully hate the place, he still had good memories, There was a week before they pulled off the heist, as they were still watching the facility the ships where held in. Syal and Rhoen were just there as pilots not expected to assist with the stakeout. They spent the week, keeping a low profile and walking the streets like a happy couple. A bit of a dry run for their future. He can still remember walking into a market just looking to get a few essentials, the stipend for the mission wasn't much but Rhoen had learned to make it work. Syal walked with him arm in arm as they moved from stall to stall picking up a few things here and there.

Then between a stall selling melooruns and one selling nerf steaks Syal disappeared. Or he realized she wasn't at his side anymore. With a tense smile on his face he started looking around. As he moved from stall to stall still not finding her the worry began to grow.

"Hey you…" A voice that sounded like his love but, there was a computerized quality to it. He turned his head to find stuffed Durni at his right shoulder. Then heard giggling to his left. Turning his head to the other side he found Syal red faced and holding in a laugh.

"You think you're funny huh. Come 'ere" He said wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug.

"I think it's very funny." She replied, still laughing.

"Uh huh." Rhoen gave her a squeeze before pulling the toy from her hand running his fingers through the soft fur. "What's this?"

"Danny the Durni." She stated matter-of-factly. "He records a short message then plays it back."

"And why did you pick this up?"

"Because I'm bored and could really use the pick me up."

"Did it work?"

"Yes." The smile on her face was unforgettable.

When they came out of hyperspace Rhoen began moving into the hyperlane hoping to just hide in the mass. Just another Corellian freighter in the shipping lane. His heart was pounding in his chest as he looked upon the Resurgence-class looming over the line of smaller ships. He hated those things, he still remembered fighting close to the deck on those things to avoid their fire, dodging the TIE fighters they could deploy. He didn't like his chances against it in just this freighter, and with his daughter on board.

He kept his hands steady, kept a safe distance from the other ships but not standing out.

"That's your X-wing!" Val called out from her seat.

"What?" Rhoen looked up his eyes seeing the flash of orange that ran down the side of the X-Wing, the signature of Corona Squadron, the Squadron his mother used to lead, the one he was apart of before the Resistance came into being. It was his alright, and there was only one person it could be behind the stick.

Instantly his heart was in pain. He was glad that she was still alive, and angry that her leaving had forced him to leave his home and his father. He didn't know what to do, or what to say. There was a flicker of a thought in his head, just ignoring it and going on about his life. But, Val knew his X-Wing when she saw it, there was no lying to her, not that he could bring himself to do it.

With a long heavy sigh he pulled up his comm and connected to her on the private channel they always used to use in combat. Their own little secret hotline…

"Hey you…" His voice heavy with emotion, a little cold with a dash of anger but with a twinge of relief. It was quiet the cocktail packed into just two little words.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Lin
Beneath the Armand Isard Prison



Dade lead the way through the tunnel beneath the Armand Isard Prison. They each had a pack filled with thermal detonators slung over their shoulders, and Dade proudly sported a blaster carbine that would probably knock him off his feet the first time he fired it.

Lin was feeling good. She had showered rather than pilfer weapons, such were her priorities, and it had been excellent. She was now a very clean and sweet-smelling Resistance Heroine. Her nose wrinkled; this tube was for ventilation, but the hot, dry air smelled of furry things and droppings.

“Much further?” she whispered. Just for the sake of the mission, not keeping clean, honest.

Dade pointed to a hatch in the ceiling of the passage. “That’s the way in.”

He looked at her. “So how do we destroy the building?”

She looked back. “Yeah, I’m not yet enrolled on the Resistance commando’s explosives training course.”

Dade cupped his chin. “Well, if we place these detonators on the right support pillars, it will make the whole thing crash down!”

Lin blinked. “Right, and I still didn’t get my certificate in the Resistance commando’s structural engineering course either. Did you?”

Dade gaped at her blankly. She suppressed a groan.

“Okay, this place is big enough to have a main reactor. We should blow that up. Trust me, that always works!” she grinned and slapped him on the back. “Come on, give me a leg up.”

Lin was very light, and Dade did not seem to mind her sitting on his shoulders one bit. The hatch was a manual-turn job, and very stiff. Lin got rust-dust on her nice clean face with each push and cursed.

But after much effort it finally came loose and she scrambled up into darkness. She soon looked back down. “Lower basement – seems disused. I’m gonna give ten points of credit to the Lost Boys entry-facilitating technique here. Yay Resistance!”

She reached down and helped him clamber up, blaster carbine and satchel of bombs swinging. Then they crept through the rooms and corridors below the prison.

It was as brutally bleak on the inside as it was on the outside, all ferrocrete walls and plasteel blast doors. They found another hatch to the level above, this time with a ladder, but guarded with a code-locked security hatch.

“Now they mean business,” mused Lin. “Means we’re getting close.”

She squirreled up the ladder and studied the mechanism. “Okay, this could get messy. Stand back…”

Dade gulped and did so. Lin tried a few codes eliciting only rude negative beeps. Then she unsheathed her vibro-dagger.

“Wait, let me try this,” said Dade, reaching into the satchel.

“You blow this and the whole First Order’ll know we’re here,” said Lin.

“Nah,” said Dade as Lin leapt down from the ladder and he took her place. “This: Something Shelt made.”

He produced a device with several small lights and wires, and clamped it over the locking mechanism. It hummed for a while, until a line of five lights lit up, a nice tweet sounded, and the hatch swung open.

“Nice!” said Lin, grinning again. “Another ten points to the Lost Boys. I think I want one of them.”

They climbed into the next room and found themselves very much in an operational part of the complex. Machinery hummed. A computer station was dimmed in one corner of the room. Equipment lockers glowered at them from another.

Dade yelped and scrambled back for the hatch in the floor. Lin saw what he had spotted and froze. A skeletal figure stood wreathed in a strange glow behind them. It was only after a moment of hair-raising panic that she realised what it was.

“Wait!” she whispered. “It’s just a security droid. It’s inactive, look… it’s in a recharging booth.”



Dade crept back beside her and they both approached the single door to the room. A circular transparicrys portal gave them a view to the corridor beyond. The building’s square lines continued, now washed with harsh lights. A patrol of stormtroopers marched past. Lin and Dade ducked down, before peering out again.

Lin nodded to herself. “So, we find a map, that leads us to the reactor, and…”

A large, metallic claw seized her neck from behind, long fingers closing entirely around her throat.

Dade almost screamed, falling backwards. The droid had come alive! Dade grabbed for his carbine, but the robot swiped him away with its free arm and he crashed against the lockers.

The droid turned Lin around in its fearsomely strong grip, so that she was forced to look into its glowing red eyes. She tried to reach down for her vibro-dagger, but its other arm shot out and encircled her waist, pinning her right arm to her flank and pulling her toward it in a vice-like grip.

She tried to struggle, choking as the claw about her neck tightened. It smashed her into the wall beside the door.

Desperate, she groped with her left hand, around the arm locked to her side, and managed to fish out her dagger. With a snap-hum it energised and she slammed the blade point-first into one of the red eyes.

The droid stumbled backwards, sparks erupting from the eye, pulling Lin along with it. It fell onto its back and her worst fear was realised: Its grip on her did not lesson. As it died with an electronic groan she was still held in its deathly embrace. She gasped for breath, her eyes wide with panic.

Then Dade arrived with a metal spoke from somewhere, and prized the claw off her neck. Next he helped her with the grip around her waist, and finally she was free.

Lin lay on her back, propped up on her elbows, staring at the defeated automaton.

“Lin!” hissed Dade, glaring at her. “You said it was inactive!”

“Well,” she said between gasps, staring at the smoking skeleton. “It is now…”

They recovered from the shock and Lin became serious. “We better get moving, I don’t know if it sent off some signal before I shut it down…”

@Sinrebirth @Jerjerrod-Lennox

 

Part One of Two Combo with our GM @Sinrebirth

IC Xundel, Asteria, Madelyn
Concord Dawn, Mandalore Sector, Outer Rim

Barely did Xundel get another chance to observe or look around the city after he replied to Eleanor before Asteria grabbed his hand. She was certainly very full of enthusiasm as she demonstrated. At first he stumped his cane along, trying to use it as a point of balance but swiftly she sped up, until he was just trying to keep his shorter legs and feet under him. He chuckled as she dragged him toward this Madelyn she wanted him to meet.

As they flew along the streets, got enough breath back, ”You...you think...if we walk...a little...slower...she’ll...still be there?” He wasn’t trying to dampen the Padawan’s enjoyment of this but he felt more like a kite she was trying to fly at the moment than a Force User that was more years older than she than he’d care to count.

Madelyn was outside her home, sitting on a bench in her garden. She could sense that Eleanor was home with Asteria, and that there were three people she don't know. Although, one had the force. Madelyn sighed and looked up as she noticed two approaching figures.

One was Asteria. And the other one looked like Master Yoda, almost. She sat on the bench, waiting for them to come closer.

Ignoring Xundel with a grin, Asteria waved at Madelyn as they arrived, and tentatively moved forward to embrace her - she was pretty old, after all. "This is Xundel, he used to be a Jedi, like, seventy-odd years ago, apparently. He helped us escape a First Order mess or two - nothing to worry about though!" She insisted, throwing that in. "I thought you'd like to talk, after all."

She waved at Xundel. "I'm gonna go back to the clan. You too play nice!"

Madelyn hugged Asteria tightly. "It's good to see you too little Asteria." She let go of the hug gently and looked at Asteria. "I hope you do tell me of your adventures." And then sensing Asteria wanted to play, smiled. "Have fun dear. Be back in time for dinner."

She looked at Xundel. Curious. Cautious. "Will you sit Master Xundel?"

Xundel nodded to Asteria, ”Have fun, little one, we’ll talk later too.”

He turned to Madelyn, nodding at her, leaning over his cane slightly, chuckling, ”I was but a Knight when I left for the Unknown Regions. I was never a Master, or at least the Council of my time never made me one. And my trip, well...it did cause me to reevaluate all I’d been taught, much had been lost or left out.”

Madelyn nodded. "How long were you gone? I was a Padawan during the Clone Wars. Perhaps I knew a few Masters that you did."

He sighed, ”According to a conversation I had, and doing the math after getting used to a new dating system, I think it came out to slightly over eighty years. When I left Sheev Palpatine was just a new Senator for Naboo. You lot really went through a lot while I was gone.”

Madelyn smiled. "We did. I was pretty young when I fought in the Clone Wars. Master Luminara took me as her Padawan near the end of the Clone Wars, after Barriss." She looked thoughtful. "You must have known Master Yoda though. He was very wise."

Xundel nodded. ”I spent over three hundred and fifty years in the Order, he was a fixture of the Order even then, and us being the same species, yes we did know each other. He was wise and very learned in the Light side.” He sighed slightly, ”He knew the Dark too but with the Jedi fear of the Dark, it blinded him even then, to what was out there, to a degree.”

Madelyn shut her eyes and listened. That sounded like Master Yoda. They did not see what was wrong until it was too late. She opened her eyes again and looked Xundel. "The Jedi Order was flawed back then. They didn't know how to listen."

He smiled slightly, nodding again, ”That was why I left on my voyage. I discovered something, seemingly hidden in the depths of the ancient areas of the Archives. I had to see for myself and my travels took me across the Unknown Regions, interacting with nexuses of both Light and Dark energy. It all led me to a discovery of our origins, one that could resolve the constant war our galaxy suffers.” He was a little worried, as he’d been each time he’d mentioned studying the dark as well as light, when speaking to those who were or had been Jedi.

A discovery? Madelyn looked curious. "I see. So it would be a balance then?" She seemed a little intrigued. "I'm afraid that my place is here though, Master Xundel. I trust you have brought this up with Eleanor?" And then, "Who else have you recruited, if I could ask?"

He smiled again, ears dipping then returning to a more alert posture, ”Yes, indeed. I discovered what the ones who were the first followed, before the many splits.”

His smile was wistful, not sad, now, ”I understand how you feel, or rather can believe it. I have spoken to Eleanor about it, yes, but she wanted to come here and discuss it with her family before making a decision, which I fully respect. Otherwise, I have only had the opportunity to speak with two others about it already. Barriss and Nomi.”

Madelyn felt something shift in the force. Barriss? It can't be the same person can it. She swallowed hard and looked nervous. "Barriss? As in Barriss Offee? She's alive?" Madelyn asked, gripping the handle of her cane. "She wants to join you?"

”Yes, Barriss Offee.” he began, ”I discussed it with her but she is too scared of her own dark past to consider a balance. I could almost taste her fear of anything Dark related and how it would not let her accept that a balance is needed or the wars will go on.” he continued, a tinge of sadness to the words.

Madelyn looked a little upset. "I see. She has...had a complicated life. At least, back at the Jedi Temple. I don't blame her." She paused and looked troubled. "I helped Barriss many years ago. Perhaps...you can send her a message for me? Tell her Madelyn still knows she's a good person."

She smiled at Xundel. "I hope my daughter can help you, if she chooses. Eleanor is a remarkable Jedi."

He smiled back, ”I will try to get her the message. I don’t know exactly where she is but I do think there is someone who can get her that message.” He paused, a serious look coming over his face, ”Your daughter certainly does seem so. One thing that is a concern is how anyone who was a Jedi when I spoke to them, or former Jedi, will feel when I have to seek out dark siders to have similar conversations. It won’t be balanced without both sides taking part.”

"Thank you." Madelyn said quietly. She listened as he spoke about Eleanor, and had no doubt in her mind she could help achieve these things, her daughter had been through so much. "I just hope that the darksiders you pick have as much sense as you do." Madelyn told him with a shake of her head. "I'm sure their are factions you could start with."

Tag: @Sinrebirth @darthbernael mentioned @CosmoHender

 

Part Two of Two Combo with our GM @Sinrebirth

IC: Eleanor Magnus, Amaria, Kaz
Concord Dawn, Mandalore Sector, Outer Rim

Eleanor watched Asteria and Xundel went away to find her mother, Kaz as the other Mandalorians asked him various questions about the job he wanted to do. She didn't step in, not yet. But frowned a little at the mention of Mand'alor. I don't know about that. Kaz is a good diplomat though.

She turned towards Amaria, startled as she grabbed her wrist and warned her not to interfere. "I'm not going to interfere." Eleanor sighed. "Kaz is a good diplomat right? He can handle it." She hesitated. "You know, I was once considered to be the next Mamd'alor. My father Fenn Shysa was Mand'alor years ago and he made me his heir. But he died before he could make it official or train me." Eleanor looked a little sad. "I'm glad Kaz didn't accept." She looked at Kaz. "Its a big responsibility. "

“It’s not that he doesn’t want to represent you guys, it’ll be that he doesn’t want to lead you.” Amaria shrugged.

“A child of a Head of State... and a Force user to boot. Nice recipe for another Kylo Ren or a Rey Skywalker,” she said a bit teasingly. “What’s your plan then?”

Eleanor nodded and then gave Amaria a smirk. "I'll never be like them." She turned to face her fully, looking thoughtful. "I'll train Asteria and raise her, but I'd like to settle down eventually. Get married. That kind of thing." She loosened her wrists out of Amaria's grip. "Teach you and Kaz how to be Mandalorians too, I suppose."

“Oh?” Amaria let her go, smiling. “Do lekku fit into a helmet?” She chuckled slightly. “A family, eh? That sounds nice.”

Her eyes unfocused. “My family is dead. When the First Order retreated from Ryloth, a Star Destroyer arrived to cover their withdrawal, and it shelled the planet as it went. The Twi’lek’s tried to track it down, but the galaxy fell apart, and that was that.”

It wasn’t the first new person Eleanor had met who would ask - what happened to you after the Battle of Exegol? - and it probably wouldn’t be the last. As bad as it was for the year after the destruction of Starkiller Base as the First Order reigned supreme, the chaos shortly after Palpatine’s death had been much worse, by all accounts.

Eleanor smiled back but her face fell when Anaria told her of her family. She reached out and gently placed her hand on her shoulder as she listened, feeling Amaria's sadness through the force. " I'm sorry. A lot of bad things have happened." She paused. "I know it won't be the same, but you could find a family here too. It doesn't mean you forget the ones you lost."

"Family," Amaria said, softly. There was a shift inside her, as if she'd let down her guard. The Twi'lek's eyes shifted to Eleanor, catching, and then her resolve tightened. "I am going to find a bar - see if any Mandalorians know anything about the Dauntless," she said, naming the Star Destroyer.

She broke Eleanor's grip, as Kaz continued to be goaded by the yellow-gold Mandalorian. "Well, what can you offer us as a diplomat that a leader can't? We don't have one of those, after all."

"Oh well okay." Eleanor seemed a little startled, if a little disappointed by Amaria's change in demeanor. "Just be careful." She told her. "Come find me later okay? You and Kaz will be staying in my house." and then turned to Kaz and the yellow armored Mandalorian. She gave one last glance at Amaria before she stepped closer to Kaz.

Amaria looked back at Eleanor, and Kaz saw her, and looked at Amaria. As Eleanor walked over, he shooed her. "I know that look. Amaria is going to get very drunk. Go after her, would you?"

The yellow-armoured Mandalorian turned her head to Eleanor. "Fenn's granddaughter... when are you going to live up to his name and step in? Your mother and father let us down... not that a former leader of Death Watch could lead us... nor Jedi scum."

Of course, Eleanor knew who she was.

And whose granddaughter she was.

And who had killed her other father...

Kaz, however, didn't.

"Alright I will." She told Kaz gently. And then stopped to face the other woman with a half smile at her comments. She was a little upset of course, but quickly pushed it aside.

"I'm Mand'alor Fenn Shysa's daughter. Not granddaughter. My birth name was Leia, but I changed it so I could live up to my own name and destiny. I was his heir, many years ago." She paused and regarded the yellow armoured Mandalorian carefully. "My parents decided to leave after his death. They did not abandon the resol'nare. My siblings and I know our creed by heart."

Eleanor sighed. "You can try and act all tough by throwing around insults, but aren't you related to Boba Fett? He killed my father Fenn, a mercy kill to be sure, but Boba Fett was still responsible. He stole him away from his family. His husband and wife. And then was never present on Mandalore again. I'm well aware of the circumstances, but my father had to make a last second decision as he lay dying. Don't stand there an try to insult me when you don't understand the situation." Eleanor explained sharply. "I don't have to live up to anything. I'm my own person, I get to decide what's best for me."

The woman stepped forward, popping a blade out of her gauntlet. "Mirta Gev is my name. What of it?"

Kaz stepped between them, palms raised. "Let's calm down, shall we? We have enough problems without in-fighting." He was beginning to realise that Mandalorians had enough internal problems to need a mediator... he still wanted someone to go after Amaria, but this was spiralling.

"Out of my way, auretiise - "

Old CEDF training kicked in as Mirta threw her knife-fist at him, and he pivoted around it, twisting her arm and putting a foot on the back of her knee joint. "I said," a bit of durasteel in his voice. "Calm down."

His red eyes blazed, and he looked at Eleanor, amused. The other two green-armoured Mandalorians reached for their blasters -

Eleanor shrugged, looking un-impressed. "You need to calm down." She told her instead, and then watched as Kaz tried to defuse the situation. It escalated however, and she watched impressed as Kaz dodged Mirta Gev's attack and twisted her arm around her back.

Eleanor looked at the Mandalorians drawing their Blasters and sighed. "Take it easy. There's no reason for that." She looked past them as a shadow approached. "It's not honorable and I know that you both know that. Calm down. Magnus doesn't like internal conflict." She tilted her head so the Mandalorians would look behind them at the large, fierce wookie.



It was Magnus.

[Are they causing you trouble sister?]

"No. We just got into an argument brother." She looked at Mirta. "I've heard of you. You're a good Mandalorian, strong. But I don't want this conflict to affect our clans." She thought for a moment. "Why don't we settle our differences with a fight. No weapons. Just our fists."

She thought of Amaria. "We can set it for a few hours from now."

Kaz released Mirta, who waved off her comrades and rolled her shoulder. "Deal," she said, stepping forward. "Make sure you've got a second ready. See you in three hours, in the Square." She pointed into the town proper. With that, she headed off, and Kaz watched her go.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Eleanor nodded in agreement. "Three hours. Got it." She looked at Kaz as they left and smiled at him. "Wrong? Kaz that was incredible." She stepped forward and hugged him. "I've never seen anything like that. Thank you."

Magnus watched his sister hug the man, Kaz and let out a low growl. Not threatening, but cautious.

[Who is this sister? He acts like a Mando in a diplomat's body]

He hugged her, and held her for long enough for Magnus to rumble something that Kaz didn't know how to interpret. He released Eleanor belatedly, and held out a hand, diplomat-style, to the Wookiee to shake, smiling politely.

Of course, Amaria was still waiting...

Magnus looked at Kaz before shaking his hand, although his whole arm ended up moving. He looked at Eleanor when he let go.

"Easy Magnus, this is Kaz. He saved my life." Eleanor told her brother gently. She glanced at Kaz fondly and smiled.

[As long as he doesn't cause trouble]

"He won't cause trouble. I need to go find Amaria. I'll see you at the fight okay?" Eleanor explained quickly. Magnus nodded in response and stepped back a bit.

[See you soon sister]

"Let's go Kaz. Hopefully Amaria isn't too drunk yet." Eleanor told Kaz as Magnus watched them carefully.

"She won't be yet," Kaz said. "I'll have to get ready for the fight, I guess..." He looked at Magnus.

The Chiss reached out and squeezed her hand. "Speak soon, okay?"

Of course, he did this in front of her brother.

"You want to be my second?' Eleanor looked a little stunned, and shook her head, laughed. "Well okay, but please promise me you'll be careful." She told him, and squeezed his hand back after he did, telling her they would speak soon. "Yes, okay." Eleanor said, and she squeezed his hand again before letting go.

[He seems awfully interested in you sister.]

Eleanor looked back at Magnus with a sigh. "Don't start Magnus."

[What? I didn't say anything. It's just that he acts like he wants to court you]

Eleanor shook her head, and looked back at Kaz. "I'll go find Amaria now. Stay safe."

@Sinrebirth

 

OOC: A combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Agent Johnson
Location: Armand Isard Correctional Facility (The Agency), Coruscant

Thankfully Johnson had encountered no trouble heading towards the Agency, a former prison.

However when he landed it was a different story. Dr Gast herself had greeted him, the droid trying to take his side but the Doctor stormed off in a huff. He now had his time limit: ten hours to get Ilsa, call the Silencer and get out.

Should be easy right? However he knew that it would take time to find Ilsa, try and explain what was going on, what happened and go. Who knew also who could attack the facility, maybe the Kubaz fancied another go at him.

The receptionist it seemed was on his side. A small victory at least. It seemed Dr Gast didn't care what he thought.

"Your appreciation is noted" he said "I would appreciate your help however. I am looking for a laboratory technician called Hela. I would like to talk to her before Dr Gast reconditions me. Can you find out where she is for me?"

"Sure I can," the secretary said, tapping away. "She's one of the new lab techs, so she'll be on the ground floor - away from the sensitive stuff." She looked at Agent Johnson though. "You'll need to be checked out and decontaminated before you go there, though."

"I shall handle that," Four-Dee said smoothly. "I am fully able to do so."

"Of course," she said with a smile, aware of how bossy medical droids could get. "The nearest room is over there." She pointed, and Four-Dee looked at Johnson as if to say. Come on then.

Johnson simply nodded in thanks and headed to the room the Receptionist pointed out. Once he was inside he removed his jacket, blaster with holster and his clothes and shoes so the droid could do it's work.

Last it was his sunglasses, it felt a little weird to see things as they were.

"Let's get this done quickly" he said simply "Time is of the essence and I want to get to Ilsa before people get suspicious. Since she is new it seems she is not privy to the very sensitive information as yet".

"And the secretary did not wonder why you wanted to see her, but will, inevitably. Dr Gast would have immediately wanted to know why, so if it is mentioned..." Four-Dee began the process, making use of the room's mechanical parts to do so. "Maybe you should kill her, and hide the body. Dr Gast will assume the secretary is tardy, rather than missing. Arrogant sentients do that," he added with a clipped tone of detachment.

Why don't we add another to the body count while we are at it the little voice said sarcastically.

The droid is correct. We must get rid of the receptionist. It will buy us more time to get to the ground level.

"You are for once correct" Johnson responded "However we are not all arrogant sentients and I would advise you refrain from making statements like that again".

"Our mission is to get Ilsa, nothing more. If you do not wish to end up as scrap I suggest you do as you are told".

The medical droid paused. “Of course, Agent Johnson.” His photoreceptors turned over the numbered tattoo, and replaced the scanner on the wall. “You’re done, sir.”

His tone was curt.

Johnson could see the droid was looking at something on his arm. He raised it and saw the number 2 stamped there.

I wonder if we can get rid of that. I'd rather not have that on my arm, stamped like some piece of meat. That is no badge of honour, the little voice thought.

The Agent voice did not have a response to that. Meanwhile Johnson got redressed, within a couple of minutes he was back looking smart again even though his jacket had marks all over it including the slash from Lin's knife.

His now fixed arm was still throbbing but hopefully the bacta would do it's work. Now to take care of the receptionist.

Johnson nodded in thanks to the droid "Now I will take care of the receptionist. Find a suitable room to put her body in. I will make sure I am not seen".

He strode forward towards the door pulling his blaster out and quickly checking the charge. As he opened the door moved his body so he was only slightly out of the door. Taking aim he fired one shot at the receptionists head.

The bolt emerged from the back of her head, and the droid stood by an abandoned office. “This is assigned solely for conferences with the Vice Chancellor; nobody will access it otherwise, and I doubt the Vice Chancellor will be in any fit state to intervene here. I hear he’s had a breakdown of some kind.”

The droid tapped the side of his head, indicating he had internal comms. As soon as the door was closed with the body in, the turbolift to the side of the entrance to the stairwell chimed with an arrival - the door between the office with the dead secretary in and the lift itself -

Well done thought the little voice another innocent murder to add to the list…

But no wonder the Vice Chancellor is in no fit state, his daughter just died, it'll be a big thing for him. Especially since that Kubaz was involved. No doubt he'll come for us as well once he hears we've gone rogue…

We'll deal with that later the Agent voice simply thought.

There was a door which looked like it led to some stairs and a turbolift, maybe he could use that.

The turbolift chimed. Maybe not. The stairs it was.

"Stairs, now!" Johnson hissed to the droid as he dashed for the door to the stairs. Hopefully with his speed he would be fast enough, the droid was another matter.

The droid allowed itself to be pressed through the doors as the lift opened, and they would have the merest glimpse of him.

Him.

Number One.

Agent Smith.

He paused, looking at the secretary desk straight away, and sneering slightly behind his shades. The droid, for its part, looked down the stairs. “I can’t do those.”

It’s photoreceptors turned to Johnson. “I assume I get shot now, Temporary Master?”

Smith….

Oh great, please don't tell me he will be chasin us, the little voice said.

There were rumours he was killed. Some say he went rogue. Turns out it was neither the Agent voice said.

"You might not," said Johnson quietly "You are a medical droid, you can find perhaps some excuse as to why you are there. You assisted me in getting here so perhaps you can explain that you are heading to another level to assist in my reconditioning. You'll need to stop at that level to avoid suspicion".

He pointed down the stairs "I'll head to the ground level to start my search. Meet me there or perhaps back up here once i've got Ilsa".

“Fine by me,” the druid said stiffly. “I can lie, after all if instructed.” He turned to head back the way he came, not really giving Agent Johnson time to run down, but not deliberately sabotaging him either -

We don't have time for these antics thought the Agent voice.

"Do it" he said simply, with his strength he pushed the droid toward the stairwell door before he turned and started heading down the stairwell at a fast pace.

The droid stuttered into the path of Agent Smith, who simply turned his head. "A medical droid."

"Um, yessir."

"Where is your patient? It is rare to see one without the other..."

"Um," the droid adapted, pointing to the secretary chair. "I have been drafted to the front desk."

He sneered, sniffing. "Have you now."

"Yes."

Smith stepped forward, looming over Four-Dee. "So why can I smell the distinctive ozone burn of a blaster fire?"

Four-Dee worked through the symptoms that would connect to a malfunction in smell. "Might you have recently suffered a stroke?"

In the meantime, Johnson would have the joy of running down several flights of stairs. More stairs than you could probably fathom counting. There were a lot of stairs.

A.

Lot.

There were quite simply a lot of stairs. If the turbolift hadn't been occupied by Smith then he wouldn't have to do this.

Johnson continued down.

Indeed, there were. Even with his training, Johnson would need a moment to recover and recuperate. Luckily, he encountered nobody else - because who would take the stairs when there was a perfectly good turbolift to hand?

When he reached the ground floor - the level where she would be, he would see just how busy things were. There was a queue of twelve Stormtrooper recruits - their helmets held to side, firearms taken in by Security - as they were prepared to funnel into one of two labs that they would have an examination. There were scientists everywhere, but for the moment he could not see his target…

As he reached the bottom Johnson had to catch his breath. Even with his strength and stamina training he was panting.

Defeated by stairs the little voice thought with a snicker who knew….

After regaining his composure he straightened his jacket again, opened the door and moved out into the corridor. Hopefully Agents were allowed down here, especially in Johnson's mind he was technically looking for a traitor.

With that excuse he could hopefully allay some suspicions of why he was down here and not accelerate his march toward reconditioning.

There were two labs, perhaps she would be in there or he could grab a passing scientist and ask. Although that could involve killing that person afterwards.

Time to investigate, first both the labs. Then maybe wander around the level.

The Stormtroopers were being prepared for conditioning, and looked at the Agent as he arrived. A scientist looked up from his datapad, and stepped over with a frown. "Agent Johnson, was it? Can I assist? I thought Dr Gast was handling your..." He paused over the word. "Recovery personally."

He cringed inwardly; Dr Gast, she was a terrifying personality.

"She is" he replied simply "however beforehand I would like to talk to Hela. She needs to prep me before I head to Dr Gast."

He decided not to try the traitor angle just yet. These were simply scientists and no doubt Agent's came down here for preparation before they were reconditioned. If not then he would simply demand to know where she was and pull her out for interrogation.

"I see," the man said, looking down at his datapad and tapping in a few queries. He raised the 'pad to his face, part-obscuring it, and pointed to one of the off-rooms. "Over there, Agent Johnson."

Johnson nodded in thanks and headed over to the off room the man had pointed at. No doubt he would probably try and check in with her. So time again was of the essence.

He stepped into the room and called out "If there is a Miss Hela in here I need you to come with me right now".

To disobey an order from an Agent was certain death. Of course she was in here in the first place. And hopefully Ilsa would stay professional and wait until they were in private to talk.

The room was empty, of course, and the turbolift across the hall chimed as if it was coming down -

The lying scientist in question was scurrying into a side room on the opposite side, sealing himself in -

The Stormtroopers, trained in such matters, looked concerned, and began to group together, even unarmed and unarmored, merely dressed in their body socks -

We've been had the little voice spoke up, Johnson had spoken to an empty room. So what were the stormtroopers waiting for?

With the turbolift coming down it could be a myriad of things: the droid, Smith, Dr Gast and troopers ready to arrest him for the death of the receptionist.

Silence from his earpiece. And the scientist was now hiding in a room. But Johnson would get him eventually.

He made his way back to the stairwell door, placing one hand on it to shove through and move if needed.

Now to see who was coming out.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Tirran Huxley & The Hux! A Combo with Sinre! aka the 'Hux' is in
Aboard the limo

As Tirran floated down, and through the thankfully opened sunroof, he was greeted by the hologram of the Chancellor, leg folded as if he was truly there.

"You're late," Hux said with his typical snarkiness. "And the disruption you've caused cost me the Vice-Chancellor's daughter and a Tarkin." He chuckled. "Perhaps I should pay you more."

Huxley had been scared for a moment there, holding his water in anticipation for what would be said after the mention of the loses. "Bonus' are never turned down m'lord." Tirran stated calmly with a rolling grin on his face.

"But I'm here for the Sith artefacts." He leaned forward. "You best have some, after the stunt you pulled today."

Extending it forward he let the hologram pickup focus on where he had seen marks on it. "I believe this qualifies, and if the limo can make a detour we can see what trinkets my damaged exo-suit was able to make away with. That Jedi was a tough a competitor." honestly he couldn't remember if he had been able to copy any information from the ship or not with the constant battling he had had to do. It was a curious situation for sure. Not knowing what you had to sell because you had had to fight a Jedi for it.

Hux waved a holographic hand as he peered. "Detour away."

He frowned, moving an archaic eyepiece - an affectation, at best, but it also concealed analysis technology. "It talks about the Rule of Two! This is indeed a brilliant find." He sat back. "Excellent. Very well done."

The Chancellor was clearly pleased. As to the data, there was a little, but it was fragmented. The owner had been an Anzati, and he'd lived for millennia. Which meant a snapshot of information had the potential to be very confused. Darth Ruin, Bane, they were both mentioned in it, but it would take Tirran time to reconstruct it - to gift-wrap it, so to speak.

Hux held up a comlink, clearly addressing the driver. "Wherever this alien wants you to take him, you do so immediately."

Pulling up a map on his internal tanks display he mapped a three dimensional traffic route that should draw the least amount of attention getting to his exo-suits position. Transmitting it to the driver he refocused on the words of Hux. It looked like today was going to be very profitable.

"I'm glad my prioritizing the data stores has proved desirable to you. This is of course most likely the most informational based valuable item I was able to recover, unless one of the baubles turns out to be holocron." Now wouldn't that be something, he could practically write his own ticket if the droid grabbed one of those, but for now as they drove he would allow Hux to inspect the scroll as he worked on properly compiling the information he received from the ship before it self destructed. It was rather a tangle, and without properly spreading it out with tabs and annotations for times, not to mention cross referencing items. Well this bit of information may prove factually dense. Most customers wanted the knowledge given to them pre-digested, having to think and remember was a hard affair for those with too much power or too much money. Luckily Tirran found garnering money or power was an equitable trade for him laboring a bit to properly gift wrap information.

Hux nodded, he inspected the scroll with his chin cupped by a gloved hand. "It's a poem, of all things. Describing how the Rule of Two rose many times in the past."

He recited it.

The Prime is One, but the Jedi are Many. The Sith were Many but often emerge Ruled by Two. The Seeds of the Jedi have been Sown throughout the Galaxy, on Ossus, Jedha, Xenxiar, and Others. The Sith have no Seeds, since what they Bury does not Grow. They are the Despoilers of Worlds, and have Laid to Waste once Fertile Habitats such as Korriban, Ziost, Ixigul, Asog, and Others.

"Intriguing," Hux said. "But not an artefact that helps me attain power." He grimaced somewhat. He looked at Tirran. "What else do you have?"

An extract of the Epistle of Marka Ragnos, talking about imbuing people with the Force -

A recording of a discussion between Darth Ruin and fifty Jedi Knight turncoats on Ziost -

A treatise on the Dyad and how the Rule of Two was based on it, by Darth Bane -

A dramatic retelling of the Cosmic Wars -

Lots of things, in essence.

Smacking his lips in his watery enclosure Tirran looked over the data spools that were scrolling by. "Well, I am rather not sure of what all I have until we pick up my exosuit. It absconded with what artifacts it could from the site. Granted I do have some interesting historical data from the ship. . ." Twisting this way and that as he got in a little bit of exercise he looked at the hologram. It was always hard to tell when you should play with your customers, or bilk them for all they were worth. Especially as the more they had the more dangerous they could be.

"I do wonder if even you can afford it all though. It seems I have digital copies of treatise by someone called Darth Bane, histrionics on Cosmis Wars, Live Recording of Darth Ruin, a Ragnos Epistle. . .little data corruption there, something about. . ." Squinting he twisted again as he made sure his tanks systems were secure. He knew they should be, but best to have them in safe mode to prevent tampering. "Embooing People? Should be able to clean that up a little, a little bit, AH! Imbuing People with the Force."

Hux's eyes turned carnivorous at the last one.

"Give me it. All of it."

His tone did not leave any space for discussion.

"I'll pay your fee, of course, and whatever your droid-suit gathers."

The man was practically leaning through the hologram.

With narrowed eyes he stared into the hologram of Hux, Huxley was unsure whether he should up the figures he was dreaming from that look of starvation in the mans eyes. “A moderate star systems purchasing price. And one of those high ranking medallion passes for free travel anywhere I please. Fighting Sith and Jedi for data is not my usual pastime and a change of venue is due soon.” Waiting for confirmation he nodded as the other thought it over. As soon as Hux agreed he would send the information securely.

"Fine, fine," Hux said, producing a datapad. He tapped. "There. The funds have been transferred, and I will have the medallion passed to you on receipt of the scroll, the data, and anything else."

He eyed the nonhuman, with every intention of following through. Wealth was nothing to the second most powerful man in the galaxy.

Hux clenched his teeth.

Soon to be first.

Checking on his accounts he had to admit, the danger had been worth it. With a bob nod he transferred the digital copy of the readily labeled and collated database to Hux. “Congratulations. It’s all yours, I’ve attached information on the location of my ship for the medallion to be delivered to me. It has been a pleasure meeting your needs.”

Hux nodded at him. "Excellent news. You are to be congratulated."

The nonhumans comm chimed, however - he had a call from one of his droid workers. Hux sneered at the sound. "Another of your clients? You best not be double-dealing in Sith artefacts." His tone grew icy. "I would be very concerned if it turns out you had held out on me."

“Please.” He stated with a disdainful scoff, “Greed is only good so long as you keep goods delivery lines clean. There are enough horror stories on Sith and their artifacts, I do not think my fluids could handle twofold labors in it. Besides you are my only worthwhile customer in these things.” A touch of debasement, a hint of flattery, and always - no lies. Making sure the line was muted to himself he checked the message from his droid. “It’s one of my droids. Odd.” He simply stated.

“Master, I am so very glad to see you are not yet dead. I come with unfortunate tidings; your shop has been pillaged and raided by the Lost Boys - they took it that you would be agreeable to them taking whatever they saw fit. I must apologised but they used a disruptor on the security system and myself.” It was a flat monotone announcement that he’d lost his stock.

But at the same time - lucky he muted the line to himself! Imagine if Hux had heard that he was colluding with the Lost Boys!

At wriggled a bit at the news, Huxley was ashamed and somewhat angry - not with the Lost Boys as such, but more so with whom he had hired to install a security system. Supposed to be good enough to stop common and even many good thieves yet children had cracked the systems terribly fast. Thinking of his bank accounts as his money was being spread automatically between the top financial institutions of his line of work, well that was a calming thought. Stock was stock, compared to the price of a moderate solar system? Bah, those brats could have the shop! "Close shop early and get the repair droid to come over. Resume operations once everything is repaired. Huxley out."

Closing the line he blew he lung full of water out, letting the swirling currents it generated to caress his flesh in a self-soothing manner. "Apparently my song shop needs repairs, someone took advantage of the battle just as I had. Heh." he chuckled. The limo was arriving and his exosuit should read his proximity to step out and join them in the limo, where it would lay out all items from its chest cavity before Huxley would retake his spot inside it. Maybe he could still add the cost of a small moon to the money he was being paid today!?

The limo took in the exosuit, which deposited a single cracked Holocron. Hux couldn't quite keep the disappointment out of his expression. "Keep it," he snorted. "As a momento of our arrangement." He looked aside. "The Supreme Leader is about to leave, and I need to take back the reins of state." The Chancellor looked smug. "I will ensure your medallion is available when the limo arrives at the Capitol."

No moon today. Win some, loose some. "Thank you Sire."

END SCENE.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Tirran Huxley
Capitol, landing

The limo swept Tirran up into the skies of Coruscant, elevating his perspective as much as his newfound wealth would similarly do so. That was thoughts for another time, he had always kept a rather healthy nest egg of sorts for larger business deals and possible purchases he could resell, but this deal made these all seem rather small. If he wanted he could live on any world in a mansion of luxury. Looking down inside the limo as the data was downloaded and compiled properly and carefully for ease of use onto a dataspike, he looked at the flickering holocron, cracked, broken and nothing worthwhile in this sale. Then again everything had a value. Perhaps he could try to repair it later, what was there to loose? Whoever would buy a broken holocron would surely buy one he broke further! Not like he could expect much for it. Maybe cover the cost of the stolen items in his shop? Get it working though, that could be another payday depending on what it had.

As they came in for a landing and he saw the First Order Commander waiting he felt there were eyes on him. As part of a known fixer he would always follow the most simple and basic tennet- LISTEN TO YOUR GUT!

Making sure his tank was secure in his exosuit, he ran a full diagnostic for damages and limitations before stepping out of the limo. The side panels flaring forward and his tank going into privacy mode where all the screens were tinted except a small area for his eyes to look through. The calmness of the platform was a welcome difference. The shields were working, always a good sign when a government kept things working. It meant they weren't bankrupt yet, and you could still bilk them for more. The hangars to the massive Capitol were military-only, and streams of supplies and shuttles entered those. In half a dozen bays, Resurgent-class Star Destroyers were nearing completion, for the Mega-class design was both dreadnought and shipyard in one. Of course, Tirran probably knew most of this. There was a lot of history on this place, too bad no one worth selling to on the market.

His droids confirmed the lost stock, and began the repairs; his network confirmed that the Lost Boys had abandoned their little hidey-hole, and were at present near the Armand Isard Correctional Facility; he had some information about his mysterious Jedi-esque foe, one Barriss Ofee, thought dead for about sixty years; he also had the various news reports about the death of Jalynn Graul, the Vice-Chancellor's daughter, and the lack of any official response from the First Order.

The commander stepped towards Tirran with a look of some distaste to her face. Sellik if his quick database search was correct, she had a captains medallion in hand - a great prize in and of itself, probably worth half-a-moon on the Black Market - she held it out in one hand, and a palm put in the other.

"Tirran Huxley, I gather?"

"You gather correctly. Sellik if I gather correctly?" he stated simply as he popped open an empty tray at the top of his tank, awaiting the medallion to be placed inside the reader slot in the drawer. The exosuit held out the scroll as Tirran caused the rod to blink and eject halfway forward from the same drawer. "Promised items. Data spike and scroll."

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

(OOC: A combo post between @Sinrebirth and myself.)

IC Rhoen Aquilla
Corellia

Rhoen could feel his heart sink as there was a delay between his message and her reply. He wondered if she even would. Before his eyes he could see all the moments he spent with her. How they first met, how he was infatuated with her from first sight, and his pain when certain other things came to light, her already being in a relationship being one of them. Their life together was never simple no matter how much he had maybe wanted it to be.

So here they were moving slowly through traffic having a reunion after their biggest fight ever. Then he remembered the reason he was here, and not back home. Her, and her insistence on running towards this war.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

"I wasn't trying to find you." He answered a slight annoyed growl in his voice. "Why aren't you with your other friends?"

Syal realised her tone had meant the conversation would go like that, and winced. She had to resist the urge to bite back. "Couldn't find them. They'd already hit Kuat, and move on. Stole a Super Star Destroyer, wrecked a few others. A big blow to the First Order."

She couldn't resist adding, mentally. What we should have been doing with them.

"Well good for them." Rhoen's tone was still cold with an extra bite feeling her unsaid statement. "Shouldn't be that hard to track a ship that size." he checked his position and where he was in relation to everything else going on. "Why'd you come here, not much left, with your dad in the Resistance? Couldn't think of anywhere else? You could have come home, would have saved us a lot of trouble." He couldn't help the spite coming into his voice. His mind saying what he really wanted to, Why did you make me leave our home.

Syal swallowed audibly, fire rising inside her. "Oh yeah, if I'd came home, having found nobody, how much judgment would I have gotten from you?" She bit back. "What are you doing leaving Val back home to come after me? We agreed we couldn't both be out here!"

"You think I would just leave her there? After the stunt you pulled?" He shot back, the anger rising in him. She was the only person that could make him truly angry. "The First Order came to our house, the searched it thoroughly, I couldn't keep making excuses for your absence. They saw you leaving. They couldn't tell from which farm but, they'd put the dots together when you didn't check in." With every word his voice deepened the rage building. "All that is to say...Val's with me. I know, I said a warzone was no place for her but I couldn't leave her there, where the First Order could...well, you know..."

"Mummy..." Val's little voice called out though there was a waver in it, as if she was afraid of her father.

Syal hesitated. She'd jeapordised everything with her stunt. She could hear the rage in Rhoen's voice, and she couldn't blame him, not at all. There was not a shred of right in what she had done to them. Her mouthed moved into the shape of words as his words trailed off.

I'm sorry.

And then Val spoke, sounding so small, and so afraid, and tears tumbled from Syal's eyes.

She made a noise, rasping, gasping, as the sheer stupidity of what she had done hit her. Her words babbled out, you could hear her tears, even if you couldn't see them. "Hi, Val, Mummy is sorry I left. I, I - I promise, I won't do it again." Syal turned the X-wings joystick, headings towards their location on her sensors and ignoring the protestations of First Order Control.

Syal couldn't bring herself to ask about Rhoen's father.

Rhoen saw her cutting around heading towards them, he moved to meet her as close to halfway as he could. "Mummy," Val followed tears in her eyes. "Mummy I'm scared, daddy's angry, grandad isn't here, and I...I just want to go home."

Rhoen turned away from his daughter hearing the tears in his wife's voice, watching the salt rivers flow down Val's cheeks.

"It'll be ok Val, it will all be ok..." He said smiling trying to hide the fact that he couldn't take her back home, that just wasn't in the cards for them right now.

"It will be okay, Val, Daddy is right," Syal said, determined.

Of course, she'd irritated Control by now, and a pair of TIE Whispers were released to intercept her, dodging freighter traffic and personal vessels with typical efficiency.

"Tell me where we should go, Rhoen. I'll come too, we can regroup, and sort this out, if we can't go back -"

Home.

Her gaze was blurred with tears, she was flying erratically around the freighters, skimming way too close to an Action freighter, going too fast -

"Syal, cut speed and pull up." Rhoen called out throwing the throttle forward and gunning it through the traffic to get to her. "I'll run interference," He dove down under a similar YT freighter before finding an opening and going at top speed towards the TIEs. "We need to get out of here now. You have any contacts on Ralltiir? Either way it'll be a good place to regroup...away from here." The freighter wasn't anywhere near as maneuverable as his X-Wing but Rhoen was making the best of it. Using the bulk of the thing to shield Syal from the incoming TIEs. "Val, sweetheart, hold on." Val was still buckled in from previously so that made things easier on him. Though the absolute terror in her eyes was plain to see.

The TIE Whispers opened fire, simply because the similar looking YT didn’t move quickly enough - two missiles ripped into the ship and it exploded, raining shrapnel into the freighter traffic and causing a similar scattering of ships to the detonation itself.

Rhoen’s ship would be impacted by a risk of debris but no damage alarms sounded, and Syal commed. “Ralltiir works,” she managed to just about sob. Her X-wing was above the chaos, but the TIE Whispers swept after her, only slightly distracted so far -

"Good stay on course...I've got your back Dancer lead..." He called out, using their old callsigns from the Resistance. Cutting around another freighter he climbed up behind the pair of TIE fighters. He hoped that the sudden appearance of an armed freighter behind them would be enough to distract them. Though if his manuvers didn't catch their eye, what came next would. Pulling on the trigger the cannons dorsal cannons opened up. Without anyone in the chairs, control defaulted to straight ahead. Rhoen could work with that. His first few shots went wide but the second burst clipped on of them sending it careening off into space.

With a steady hand he shifted power to his shields and gunned the throttle. He couldn't keep up with the X-Wing but, they both needed to leave now.

"On your mark Syal..."

"Dancer..." Syal said, blinking back memories, trying to return to that sense of stability she'd had. Flying an Eta-5, an Aleph, an X-wing, even a Skipray blastboat at the Battle of Roche... she hadn't been Dancer Lead for such a long time. It had been a much easier time.

Val had basically cried herself into unconsciousness mercifully so stressed she had blacked out.

The second TIE cut it's throttle and spat a missile at Syal as the first righted itself way too soon - it had shields, clearly - but it didn't matter now. "Mark." She pulled back the hyperspace levers, and vanished into hyperspace -

The TIE that Rhoen had clipped managed to right itself and opened fire with lasers on his shields -

The ship shook as the shields took the hit. A lock of hair that had come loose from the tail he usually kept it up in fell in front of his eye. With a flip he looked to Val slummed in her chair. That was a lucky thing, he didn't want her to be worried. Syal gave her mark and Rhoen just smiled, that was the voice he followed into battle, the tone that lead him through the worst fighting the galaxy had seen.

He smiled towards the TIE closing letting out a little chuckle before hitting his hyperspace levers and disappearing into Hyperspace...

"That was a close one." He remarked his heart pounding in his chest, though his tone was lighter if only for a moment. Now with a chance to breathe he realized what had happened. It was so subtle that he didn't even feel it. He'd become that man again, that boy, the pilot that threw themselves into the fight without a second thought. He thought he'd left that part of himself behind, killed that part of him.

Seemed cut hadn't been clean.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Barriss Offee

Barriss, her hood up, strode out of the room and confronted the stormtroopers that had been heading in her direction. Before they could react, she made a gesture with her hand.

"You will lay down your weapons," she ordered the troopers. "And surrender."

It was worth a shot, as always.

The four stormtroopers in this patrol looked at each other, then back at the Mirialan.

Three of them instantly complied, but the fourth, he was filled with...

Doubt, of all things.

His number was RK-514, he had a name, once upon a time... maybe.

Barriss sensed his doubt and she turned her gaze onto him. "Take off your helmet," she told him, before glancing at the others. "All of you. Show the faces of the people beneath."

The controlled three did it immediately, revealing human faces - two men, one woman - while RK swayed, looking at the others. "We weren't given permission to take off our helmets," he said, hesitantly. His mind was strong, but conflicted, and Barriss couldn't press upon it with a mind trick. The other three looked at him, surprised, clearly being drawn out of her trance -

There was another clatter of stormtrooper feet around the corner, and the moment was completely broken. RK drew his pistol in a lightning fast motion and shot at Barriss, diving into her room for cover -

"Karabast!" Barriss cursed. Her lightsaber flew into her hands and its white blade deflected the shot.

She knew that she should be focused on escaping, but a part of her insisted on persisting. "You don't have to do this," she told RK and the others. "You don't have to fight and die for the First Order. You didn't choose this, the First Order chose for you by taking you from your families. But it's not too late, you can still choose to walk away from this path. Because you aren't just numbers, you're people! Please, don't let them throw your lives away! Because it is worth more than this!"

She didn't know if her words would reach anyone, but she had to try. Someone had to try. She stood there with her lightsaber drawn, pleading.

The next four stormtroopers rounded the corner, and she would remember this corridor as the one that she and Anakin had fought all those years ago. Back then, it had been Temple Guards that had sought to act as a pincer upon her.

Whatever RK may have thought, with others present he was unable to break the conditioning. He was under too much pressure to comply, to obey. The three troopers in front, and the four behind, they opened fire, even as RK took a more tactical approach from behind the cover of the doorframe to her old room -

Bariss blasted the troopers away with a Force push. Then she used rubble to separate herself from rhe troopers. She sighed. That had turned out to be a disaster.

She knew that she couldn't stay here. The rubble was only a temporary solution. So Barriss slipped into the shadows, sneaking around the Temple and trying to avoid any other troopers. Thankfully, she knew some secret ways out of the Temple thanks to the Chief Librarian of the Jedi Archives, Jocasta Nu. When she was a Padawan, Barriss' master had occasionally made her help Nu out in the Archives and during that time Nu would share with Barriss some of her knowledge about the Temple. Barriss waa now thankful for that time she spent in the Archives with Nu.

"Thank you, Master Nu," Barriss whispered, finding one of those secret tunnels that the Chief Librarian had once showed her.

Soon Barriss was out of the Temple and back in her ship, relieved. She started to get the ship ready for take-off, knowing that it was still in need of repairs and she would have to find a repair shop. That shouldn't be too hard on Coruscant, but the real difficulty would be keeping a low profile at the same time...

In her hurry, she hadn't realised the ramp was down, and that there was someone on the ship.

Someone's.

Half a dozen dirty, grime-covered, strangers turned back to look at her as she rushed aboard, many of them in the middle of using hydrospanners on the ship - but not to repair, but remove parts.

Scavengers, and not the pleasant fluffy kind that Rey had been.

"Boss?" A Rodian warbled, and striding out of the cockpit - out of her cockpit, came a hulking Crolute with a droid arm - an encounter with the Wookiee Chewbacca had cost him that arm, a good decade ago, just before the First Order destroyed Maz Kanata's castle on Takodona.

"Get off my ship," Unkar Plutt said gruffly. In his hand was an extremely illegal disruptor.

Barriss had her lightsaber hidden underneath her robes, though she still kept a hand on it. Just in case. She also glanced around for the box where she kept her unopened Jedi holocron. She couldn't see it anywhere.

"This is my ship, actually," she told the scavengers. "And you're trespassing. I would suggest that you return what you have taken and leave at once. After all..." She gestured with her hand. "...there is nothing of value here and you don't want any trouble."

Unkar, at very least, was a very weak mind. He grumbled, slotted his weapon back into his holster. "Come on; there is nothing we want. Not worth the trouble."

The scavengers looked at each other, but shrugged. It was difficult to use a mind trick on more than one person at once, but most of them really didn't care. One was holding her box, however, and he tucked it into his dirty robe as he went to go -

Which did not go unnoticed by Barriss, who sensed the holocron in his dirty robe. However, rather than confront the scavenger she just waited for him to be almost out of the ship. Then the box flew out of his robes without him realizing it and into Barriss' hand. She quickly slipped the box into her robes and closed the landing ramp.

Barriss went to her cockpit and sat down in the chair, taking a moment to relax after her escape from the Temple and her confrontation with the scavengers. But only a moment.

"Let's get out of here," she said, both to herself and her ship. "And find somewhere to get fixed up."

The scavenger was so surprised to see the holocron float away, he only managed to find his voice as the ramp went up. "Jedi!"

Plutt, shook from his stupor, swung around and began firing on the hull, as did the others, belatedly.

The ship reported that the damage to date was on the verge of extensive, but they remained both vacuum tight and their hyperdrive had passed the test. In essence, most of the harm was cosmetic, save for the nonfunctional comms relay and what little weapons she had, which were less functional than not. It did however suggest that further damage would likely cause a hull breach.

So she could move, and even try and leave Coruscant, in theory, before the repairs, but the ship - her home - it was very much in a sorry looking state.

Barriss ignored the sounds of scavengers blasting away at her hull, instead focusing on getting her ship off the ground. She succeeded and began putting distance between herself and the scavengers. The sounds of the scavenger's blasters soon ceased and Barriss could now only hear the sounds of her ship's alarms telling her of the damage.

"I know, I know," she said to the ship. "I hear you. Just keep together for a little bit longer, alright? Sorry for putting you through so much abuse."

The ship's alarms still whined at her, forcing Barriss to silence them. She breathed heavily and hoped that finding a safe repair shop wouldn't be too difficult or take too long. After all, she didn't know how much time she had...

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Eleanor Magnus, Amaria
Bar

It did not take her long to sense where Amaria had went, she was a whirlwind of emotions to Eleanor in the force and Eleanor had half ran to the bar in hope of getting to her before she got too drunk.

By the time Eleanor found Amaria in the bar, she was less then sober and she sighed at the sight. Eleanor walked up behind Amaria and rested her arms next to her. "Hey stranger." She greeted gently. "Mind if I join you?"

Amaria looked back, eyes only slightly listless from the alcohol, but not so fuzzy as to be unclear. "I'm not the best of company when I'm like this. I'm sure Kaz was a tittle-tattle and told on me to you, Mom."

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Kaz may have mentioned something. But I wanted to make sure you were okay." She hesitated, and shifted a little closer. "Look, I don't want you to get hurt."

She stared at the woman as she grew closer, but Amaria did not shy away. The Twi'lek was searching the woman's eyes, unsure, uncertain. Angry, yes, but afraid, too. She was alone alone alone alone alone... it ached from her, filling the relatively small gap between the two of them by way of the Force.

Eleanor reacted out with the force and sighed internally. "You know you're not alone right? You have Kaz. And now you have me too." She told her. "And well everyone else in my family when they get to know you." She shrugged and twisted her hands, feeling nervous. "Look I have to go fight in a couple hours and...well you should know how Mandalorians settle their differences. Come with me?" She asked, "You know for luck?"

Amaria snorted. "I've known you for a few hours, Eleanor - no, you've only known me for a few hours."

She waved a hand at the other Mandalorians chatting loudly. "Yeah, I heard from the noisy bunch. Kaz pissed off Boba Fett's granddaughter. Fun times."

"What was that," came a voice from one of those sitting at the booth. The blue-armoured man stood, and his fellow black-and-gold armoured comrades - two of them, both women - stood with him, helmeted gaze taking in the Twi'lek.

"You have comms on those things, right?" Amaria said, rotating on the bar-stool. "If you didn't want me to listen, you should've used 'em." With her back on the bar, she shrugged.

"I think brain-tails here needs someone to teach her some manners," Blue growled.

Eleanor sighed and shrugged. "I guess. But honestly, you seem a lot more trustworthy then half the friends I have." She told her, before she noticed the Mandalorians sitting at the table start to comment. Oh great. That's just what we need.

Eleanor shut her eyes and rose, turning to face the man in blue armor before he could get close to Amaria. "It wasn't Kaz who pissed off Mirta Gev. It was me." Eleanor told them with a shrug. "Because she insulted my family. You wouldn't let insults like that get past you either I'm sure."

She looked at Amaria. "She's had a hard day. So why don't step away?" Eleanor told them, her voice low. "I'm sure you have more important thing to worry about."

"Little Eleanor Shysa-something-or-other," Blue said, snarling. "Your father was a great Mandalore, and he left us to the Fetts to ruin everything again. Di'kut," he said. Clearly he was someone on Mirta Gev's wavelength. "I should just -"

There was a shatter of glass as a bottle smashed into his helmet, and Amaria threw herself after it, driving the armoured man to the ground. The other two Mandalorians reached for their blasters even as the barkeeper shouted. "NO GUNS!"

Eleanor felt herself flush. "He was killed by Boba Fett. Why the heck do you think I'm going to fight his granddaughter? For fun?" She snapped back. "My father was wounded-" She jumped back as he was hit in the helmet with a glass bottle and turned to look at Amaria in shock. "Amaria stop-"

Eleanor looked at the others reaching for their guns."Enough!" She ordered and then dove for the women with guns. Eleanor pushed one of them into the others and forced them back. "Mirta and I will settle our differences in a couple of hours." She punched one of them in the helmet.

It hurt to punch a Mandalorian helmet, but at least it was durasteel and not beskar. Blue found that Amaria had leapt at and twisted around him, snaking her legs around his neck as she dove, using her weight to catapult him into the wall headfirst.

The second woman in black-gold landed a kick on Eleanor’s stomach, even as the first adjusted her helmet which had been dislodged by the punch -

Eleanor fell to her knees with a grunt and shook her hand. It had hurt. But she had to get them away from her. She stood up and grabbed the closest Mandalorian to her and pulled her hard, trying to force her to the ground-

The first swung at Eleanor as she pulled the second into her path, and then Amaria was on the back of the first, clawing at her neck with talon'd hands, before booting her back and sending the woman tumbling atop the other. The bar-keep roared, a disruptor in hand. "ENOUGH!"

Eleanor froze and looked at the bartender, before Amaria sent the two women tumbling into one another. She glances up at Amaria, grateful before standing up quickly. She shifted and grabbed Amaria around the waist, pulling her far away from the Mandalorian woman as the barkeep yelled at them. "We don't need to get shot Amaria." She told her gently. "I appreciate what you were doing." She lowered her voice and felt anxious, although she couldn't figure out if it was because she was so close to Amaria or if it was because of the fight. "But please stop. It's over."

Amaria looked angrily at her; at everyone. She released a cry of inarticulate rage, and she dropped to her haunches, sobbing. The entire bar grew silent.

Eleanor was taken aback and looked at the others. "Okay uh...I'm sorry." Eleanor looked around and apologised sincerely. "She's been through a lot. I'll handle it from here." She reached in her pocket and stood, putting a handful of credits on the counter. "For the damages." Eleanor turned and dropped down beside Amaria. "Hey hey. It's okay. Lets get you somewhere else." She glanced at the Mandalorians again, pulling Amaria towards her. "Come on now. You fought really well. Mandos fight like that all the time. No harm done." She told her gently.

Amaria took a few deep breaths. “I’m sorry. I just can’t handle being alone, not right now.” She apologised. “I’ve been alone for nearly ten years... I just about put myself back together to become a First Order bodyguard. To try and find the crew that killed my family.”

She swallowed, smiled alugktoy. “That wasn’t a particularly attractive moment, was it?”

"Its okay Amaria." She gently reached down and took her hands, gently tugging on them so they could stand up if Amaria wanted. "We can still find them though." Eleanor said, "But we can't start searching until we leave Concord Dawn for safety reasons." Eleanor smiled at the last part of Amaria's remark. "I don't mind. Even attractive people have moments where they lose control."

“Says the most attractive and self-assured woman on the planet,” Amaria said back, smirking.

Eleanor smiled, feeling her face grow warm. She turned away and laughed. "You say that now, but you might change your opinion when I'm not a mess from fighting." Eleanor stood, feeling nervous. "I uh I need to get ready for...the other fight I have." She told Amaria and held out one of her hands. "Come on Cyar'ika."

She looked down at the proffered hand, blinking for a moment, and then reached out and took it and squeezed. There was a blush on her skin as Amaria realised how much she liked the feel of that simple thing. There was something much larger than herself there, between them...

... or was it just the alcohol, or adrenaline in her system?

Amaria smiled softly at Eleanor, warmed by her feelings.

It didn’t matter.

She liked this feeling.

She liked Eleanor, she realised.

It was only then Amaria realised she’d said at least half of those things aloud. Blushing, she looked for something to draw away from the moment.

In the distance, she could see Xundel with Asteria, and seized upon the distraction! “Hey, isn’t that -“

Eleanor stepped back to pull Amaria up as she took her hand, although she could sense that something had changed between them. She blushed a bit when Amaria started talking out loud about feelings, and didn't say anything for a moment.

She looked over as Amaria distracted her and turned her head to look at Amaria and Xundel-

Tag: @Sinrebirth @darthbernael

 

Combo with Sinre

IC: Leia Organa Solo & Rey
Eclipse, preparing

Rey smiled sadly, squeezing Finn in parting. Her friend didn't need a lot of words, and neither did she. They would see each other again soon - she believed that.

A stirring began as the trio broke away from one another, Finn moving to begin his own preparations and Poe doing the same nearby. The soft ripples in the Force kept her in place, as a knowing signature began to make itself clear. Slowly, she turned and started walking towards a shadowed corridor, turning a corner and coming face to face with what she had felt. Who she had felt.

"General," Rey said in awe, looking upon the ghostly form of Leia Organa Solo, her old Master.

“Rey,” Leia said, smiling slightly and guiding her into the base away from the tumult. Of course, there was a different sort within Rey.

About Ben.

About saving him.

“You don’t have to say it,” Leia said, sadly.

Coming to halt once they were entirely alone, Rey looked upon Leia with a certain brand of sadness that only comes with missing someone in death. Someone close to your heart. Then there was that other type...

"Say what?" she asked simply. "Your son is alive? That Kylo Ren is dead?"

"I know that now, too," Leia said sadly, "but it's what you want to say after that, you don't have to."

The woman reached out a hand, a soft quality to it's weight, even though she was a Force spirit. "You want to say that you can save my son."

She sighed. "I believe that once, like you."

Rey narrowed her eyes, a fire of defiance igniting within her. If she were being honest with herself, she was beginning to become rather put off by how little her friends believed in her.

"Not you, too." She ran a rand through her loose hair in exasperation. Respectful exasperation. "He has been saved already. Whatever has been going on since Exegol I... well, I cannot explain nor understand. But I saw his turn, Master. I felt the light in him brighter than the chill of darkness."

She had said this speech before, she realized. It didn't sound as genuine when repeated.

She didn’t know how to respond. Leia did believe her, but it had been so long...

“There’s good in all of us.” Leia said, slowly. “But the boy I knew is gone.” A heartbreaking beat. “Rey, be careful.”

Rey nodded once in agreement, a sad frown marring her features. "I don't know where to begin," she admitted, turning and leaning her back against the closest wall, arms folded across her chest. "With him."

She closed her eyes and conjured Ben's face as she last saw it - the weight of the dark side no longer upon his shoulders, his smile; that bright, eager, boyish smile stretched wide. And in his eyes, nothing but the promise of hope.

It twisted a knot in her stomach.

"The bridge between us, what the Dyad created, has either been walled up or collapsed altogether. I can't reach him like before.. I can't feel him." She looked at the General, clearly wishing for assistance if that was even possible.

Leia looked back at her, and beyond her, at Poe and his annoyingly attractive jawline, who of course couldn't see Leia, and then she refocused on Rey. "Some things you can't train for." She was speaking about many things, conscious that Rey loved... and was loved, even if she was, as ever, so focused that she probably hadn't noticed. "Come on. I know how complicated this. I know there are rules, Jedi rules," she scoffed. "But written by who?"

The woman shook her head. "Some old man, a thousand years before you were born."

She spoke to Rey as if she was her youngest daughter. "My whole life, I heard one word. Balance. I never really understood what it meant. Until the first time I saw you. I heard that word again. Like it was whispered to me. Balance."

Leia took her hand, a physical presence for a moment. Intimate. Close, like a mother.

"You're not like my father. Or my brother. You're new. Whatever happens, remember: the Force chose you, Rey. Your story isn't written by anyone else." In many ways, she was saying that Rey could do precisely whatever she wanted; if she wanted to save her son, then Rey could do it.

She believed in Rey.

Rey just needed to believe in herself.

Rey had always loved Leia's candor, the raw honesty to her words that had never made her doubt her Master's teachings. Or anything else she had shared during their cruelly short time together. Her sage advice, wise knowledge, and maternal care she took with her training had made her appreciate her as much more than the Jedi she learned from. They had been family.

"Yes, Master," Rey replied after straightening, sensing their time was at an end. For now. "Ben is alive, I have to believe that."

She bowed, feeling a calm settle over her worries.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: Combo with @The Jedi in the Pumas and @Sinrebirth

IC: Dol Khan and Vicrul Ren
Around Corsucant

The stealth vessel’s fire; Dol Khan and the Prime Chow’s computer picked it up almost simultaneously. The Prime Chow diverted shields to the estimated point of impact and Dol Khan banked hard. The blast scraped the shields but left the main body of the vessel undamaged.

Meanwhile, a Resurgent-class Star Destroyer maneuvered to block his access to his hyperspace lane and began to spew forth TIE fighters to line the path. He was going to be surrounded soon.

He sits in the cockpit, not stunned or surprised. It is time to reassess his situation. The possibility of Escape was starting to dwindle. He could not gun down all of these TIE fighters and the ship that had fired on him from the shadows would no doubt continue its efforts to stop him.

Fine.

“Initiate hyperdrive start up.”

The Prime Chow’s computer did as commanded as Dol Khan begins to steer the ship in a figure-8 pattern, rapidly picking up speed, but not leaving the path to alert the sentinel defenses.

“Slight brake application on engine number 2.”

He maintains acceleration in both engines, leaving to smoke beginning to billow from the 2nd engine. The smoke in space, having nowhere to go, obscures the Prime Chow.

Vicrul narrowed his focus, a tinge of annoyance spreading throughout him as the ship diverted out of the way. The Night Buzzard was not an especially fast ship, its purpose was not for dogfights, nevertheless whoever this was would not escape so easily.

Smoke billowed from one of the engines, which obscured the exact position of the Prime Chow, coupled with its rapid movements circling around in a figure-eight pattern, it was clear it was preparing for a jump. Not that it mattered. '

Closing his eyes Vicrul felt himself drawn out, feeling where the Prime Chow was.

There.

The squeeze of the trigger as more blasts were sent out, barreling directly for the target.

Once again, the Prime Chow’s computer and Dol were in sync. The shots from the previously hidden ship soared past as he maneuvered out of the way, at first, before two final shots pummeled the shields.

“Shields down to 63%”

“Hyperdrive status?”

“93% and rising. No clear hyperspace lanes available.”

The Prime Chow continued to billow smoke around it. Dol reasons from the well placed shots before that the stealth ship was not being operated by an ordinary pilot. Which meant that he would likely take another hit soon.

“97% and rising. No clear hyperspace lanes available.”

Risky. Dol looks down at his datapad that is connected to the Prime Chow nav computer. It was an all or nothing gamble.

But what isn’t in this life?

A micro-hyperspace jump utilizing the gravitational pull of the Coruscant to pull him out of the otherwise suicidal maneuver. If all went well, Dol would find himself on the other side of Coruscant with a heavily damaged ship and no hyperdrive. But alive and out of his current predicament. He would likely have to land back on Coruscant.

Or.

His hyperdrive would explode in a massive explosion killing himself and many of the Imperials around him.

While the hyperdrive continued to ready itself, Dol stops in his figure-8 steering and fires repeated shots out of the smoke towards the hidden ship. The second time the ship fired on the Prime Chow, Dol traced the chem trails back to the area. The ship could be in stealth, but since it was the only ship that was firing (at the moment) it was easy to pinpoint its exact location.

Vicrul continued to focus on the ever increasing aloof ship, his annoyance increasing with every passing moment that is failed to explode into a flurry of fireworks.

Again he reached out to feel the presence of the ship, squeezing his trigger to fire a series of shots that would find their target, guided by the infernal side of the Force. The enemy ship was returning fire however, Vicrul in response attempted to roll and dance the Night Buzzard around, the relatively slower transport vessel doing it's best to try and avoid the incoming fire.

He would not allow this ship to escape he could not, its fate was sealed along with all those that dared to stand against the First Order.

Death.

The Buzzard rocked with hits, as did the Chow. Shields were taxed on both, and Dol would be warned of his imminent demise by the rather mundane system update; that his shields were now down. The Ren ship was tweaked but had sufficient defences in place to take several more hits, especially with Vicrul at the helm.

Hattaska looked back at Vicrul, but decided against intervening. He and Jaedec were communing with their Master, as Lord held a handset to his ear.

Across First Order comms there was a commotion; three Star Destroyers were being recalled to formation - including the one blocking the immediate hyperspace corridor. Undoubtedly Dol’s technical prowess would allow him to access the channel.

Prepare for immediate jump to target as soon as the Chancellor gives the word. He has ordered the pursuit of the Kubaz terrorist to be abandoned by all designated Fleet assets.

Half the TIEs abandoned their cordon, even as the Star Destroyer turned off, clearly preoccupied with more urgent business. Dol would detect it approaching a smaller triangle of death - but one with a superlaser peering from its gut.

Commander Sellik came across the comms, addressing the Knights of Ren as it became a kind of organised chaos. “Permission for Capitol TIEs to join the pursuit of the terrorist?” A dozen TIEs were ready, only having held back so as to no offend the Knights of Ren. Now with the Fleet on the move...

Dol Khan might have a chance, but it was a very slim one.

He’d heard The Commander Sellik ask for permission for the rest of the TIEs to assist.

He wouldn’t wait until they received an answer.

Flipping a switch, Dol Khan ceases his smoke billowing engine maneuver and the Prime Chow surged forth. Shields were down. The engines weren’t. He merged into the traffic of the redirected TIEs. Awkward, but when the TIEs heard the call from the Chancellor to cease pursuit and redirect, they behaved with military obedience. The TIEs provided him with cover from his secret adversary, for the moment.

“Hyperdrive is at 103%”

“Coordinates?”

“Setting now.”

A second.

Then the Prime Chow rocketed past the TIE fighter cloud at maximum speed. The ship itself began to shake as it was well past the manufacturer’s speed limit.

“Initiate jump now.”

Vicrul's eyes darted around as he saw the displays indicate the low amounts of shields remaining on the ship. His eyes narrowed as the comms rattled for information, the Capitol TIEs asking to engage in pursuit of the Chow. Vicrul ignored them, he was not the one in charge, to him the question was directed to Hattaska, and even if he were in charge he would ignore them, asking permission for such an action wasted valuable time and answering the request wasted even more.. To the Knight of Ren you acted or you died.

And he would act.

He cared not for the lives of the TIE fighters around the enemy ship, they were nothing to him, all that mattered was the vermin be wiped from the face of existence. Nevertheless it would be a waste if he missed and killed the TIEs instead of the target.

His focus narrowed once more, the sensory information around him he cut off until all he felt was the ship and himself. The target and their demise. He squeezed the trigger for the final time, his intent sent fully toward the Prime Chow.

TAG: @The Jedi in the Pumas @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Tirran Huxley A Combo with Sinre
Capitol, in low-orbit

Having just finished his meeting with Sellik, Tirran was at a loose end as the First Order mobilized its entire military strength. He took what notes and measurements he could without actively doing anything. It was in essence a relaxing moment after completing the largest deal of his life. Returning to the limo he settled into the confines as he reviewed some information. His ties to the system meant he knew exactly what Hux had found and where, but he also had some decidedly detailed plans about what the Lost Boys were up to - they were about to attack the Armand Isard institute, where the most loyal Stormtroopers were made anew into Agents of the First Order.

He also picked up the subtle enquiries of the Vice Chancellor’s Office for any Sith artefacts that were hand, including a specific request for any red-pyramidal holocrons... which matched the description of the cracked item still in his possession, of course. Although much as he had curated the info dump before selling it, he likewise wanted to first attempt to see if he could get the holocron at all working in any fashion before he tried to sell it.

Setting out to the bustling city of Coruscant he looked for whomever might have a good reputation for information crystal repair and delicate historical artifacts as a cross discipline. Perhaps he could spend a rather petite fortune and get this thing working properly, and then make a grotesquely large fortune again.

Rather unsurprisingly, repairing ancient Holocrons was an artform, and not all that many were afoot. Eventually a broker, looking unhappy, connected to him with a response.

The Besalisk grumbled. "Dem dere Holocrons are Jedi and Sith business; you'd need a specialist in their tech, which is mostly historic, and probably a Force user. Jedi are pretty rare nowadays, and if you find a Sith, well, he's gonna shank you for the pleasure. Best I can do is give you the details of this woman I know. She reconditioned a pair of lightsabers for me recently, but kept one for 'erself as payment. Drives a hard bargain, but she turned up at the right time - the buyer was one of them Knights of Ren, he didn't want to do it 'imself, you see."

He cringed.

"Jaedec Ren, I fink, not sure." He stroked his chin with one hand, scratched his belly with the other. The final pair of arms was on the table, leaning him slightly closer to the holocam to leer, but the effect was ruined by the multiple arms. "But yeah, I can tell you where she's holed up, it dat helps, but she's not on Coruscant I'm afred."

A shrug.

"You'd have to work out if the fee for fixin' it is worth your bother."

"Thank you, yes please. It is a pleasure doing business with you." he smartly stated sending a decent gratuity fee for the information to the broker as he waited for the proper information.

To the limo driver he directed him to drop him off at his lower level private hanger. From there he should be able to head off world, and go see about making his flimsiplast weight worth something more than a tank of ship fuel.

The limo driver sneered, but did as told, dropping him at his private hangar. It hadn't been ransacked by the Lost Boys due to being detached, but that loss wasn't a bother of course. The broker signed off with a salute, appreciating the payment.

The chaos above was settling, with Sentinel battle stations reasserting control over the scattered freighter traffic, disrupted firstly by Dol Khan, and then by the sudden deployment of the flagship and it's escorts. Tirran would certainly need to use his medallion to get by the tightening blockade -

Setting about switching to an undamaged droid body exo-suit he sent the Jedi damaged one off for repairs. Seeing to his ship he found things to be proper order, which meant it was time to set the mood. Plug in the medallion and let the tunes drive his course.

Meanwhile he made sure to sell the impending attack information to the First Order, add a splash of wanted fugitive information for the spaceport destruction and murder of the Vice Chancelors daughter by the Jedi. Then making sure things were stocked as they should be and a spare body and droid helpers loaded for a terrible future, he set off.

The ship drifted into orbit and was immediately challenged - and the medallion did its bit. But there were a lot of people attempting to escape in the confusion, so the First Order forces in-orbit didn't have time to check thoroughly or be their typically xenophobic self.

Almost everything was loaded as he directed, giving him a good half an hour of time but he couldn't be more stocked, well-equipped, or prepared, than if he'd tried otherwise. It was a good life, for the moment.

For the moment.

Of course, he now had another list to work through; what planet to buy! There were a few for sale in the galaxy; one in the Meridian Sector, a couple at the fringes of Warlord Gherlid's territory, including Levian II, and the Corporate Sector, where he was heading, in-theory had some tapped out worlds for sale.

While he was in the area, he could review some real estate, but all of them were for traditional air-breathers...

Setting a droid to review the information as well as market and unique points of the worlds currently for sale he tabled the idea. For now he just wanted to float back to his private cabin and enjoy his travel largely outside his travel tank and luxuriate in the cabin tank. One of the few practical luxuries.

TAG: @Sinrebirth