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

Star Wars Legacy of the Force: The Last Stand

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

  1. Adalia-Durron

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

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Ebony Leong
    In Orbit. - Serenno


    Ebony had followed, there was no rush to this and she’d been able to track her prey to Sereno, his purpose there was a mystery. She’d made orbit and sunk her craft into stealth mode as she had to observe more, plan her moment. Her employer had not specified a time line nor a method so she had time to consider all options and approaches. She’d traced him with a group, a woman and child and what looked to be a tree, she’d researched the race. Another long living creature, interesting. It seemed they’d gone shopping, and this confused her a little. The wanderings of this creature fascinated Ebony. He spent time in the Taris system, time in an asteroid belt, and then she’d observed as he’d hunted slavers. She was unsure as to her employers need to eliminate this one, but it was clearly as abstract as the creature himself. She’d continue her observations at this point, her chance would reveal itself.




    TAG No one.
     
  2. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: The Master
    2,000 years ago, Ziost

    It was a Conclave.

    The first Sith one in centuries.

    The Sith Empire had been in complete disarray for a millennium and a half. Technically, Darth Desolous had been the last Dark Lord of the Sith to actively wage war against the Jedi and their pet Republic.

    The various tribes of the Sith were gathered here today; the Mecrosa, the Cult of Phobos, the Krath, others and more besides.

    They had been gathered by him.

    Darth Ruin.

    He stood with some fifty former Jedi, all who he had personally corrupted to leave the order in what some were already calling the Fourth Great Schism. The first in two millennia-odd. There were many Lesser Schisms, the most infamous one of which resulted in the Garn Conflict some eight millennia before...

    The Old Ones had taken a hand in that, after all. They had come pretty close to making it a major Schism, though arguably the Jedi had exiled those Force users; they had not simply left en masse. But it was that connection to the Old Ones that the Master today sought.

    There was someone here, and he needed to speak to him.

    Ah yes, there was the Anzati.

    Taking a deep breath, the Master reminded himself that he wasn't doing much wrong. The Other - the Presence - he would need an agent, and the Master speaking to Bernael would decide it for the Presence; he'd pick the Anzati. He was perfect. Capable of living for millennia, and quite unlikely to form those messy connections that would reduce his usefulness. Similarly, very difficult to kill.

    And the Master only needed to pass Bernael and make the mental suggestion.

    It would rear it's head when it needed to.

    There he was. The Master didn't stand out in a crowd of Sith hiding their faces; some were living undercover deep in the Republic, keeping their religion a secret. After all, the Sith way had been outlawed for nearly two millennia now... and thus created a perpetuating cycle of conflict between the Jedi and Sith forever since... even if the Sith Empire had been split into various component parts since Darth Desolous was defeated at the Battle of Yaga Minor.

    He brushed through the cloaks and did so with his target, keeping his mind absent, focused on whatever drivel was coming out of the mouth of Ruin. He was a solipsistic madman; he believed he was the beginning and end of reality - that he was the One... the Chosen One. Thanks to the Father's intervention, there. Not the first time he's misjudged the situation, the Master snorted.

    Ah yes.

    The Anzati knew he was being hunted.

    He had a keen sense of everything, after all.

    Reminded him of Joren.

    The Master kept the sarcastic edge off his thoughts.

    They crossed paths, and the Master carried on through the crowd.

    He left his message, buried it deep inside the psyche of the Anzati, to be uncovered when his balance was shot, and lost, even if he didn't realise it.

    When he was angry, perhaps sad, perhaps frustrated, perhaps hurt.

    You need to get control of yourself now. He need's stopping.

    The message was multi-layered.

    One day Bernael's darker, Older, tendencies, would interfere.

    One day Bernael would start to acquire attachments.

    One day Bernael would be lost.

    One day Bernael would be found.

    One day.

    The Master eyed his list.

    Who was next to be collected.

    TAG: @darthbernael
     
  3. Adalia-Durron

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

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Adrian Malek, Ilona Malek, Ethan Malek, Kael Swiftflight, Marie Firestone.
    In the Sky over Eriadu - then not so much.




    They had to disguise Ethan and get him out to their freighter. Marie decided to leave the disguise to the experts, Adrian and Ilona. They knew what would be less noticeable on this world. She quietly stood near the small window of the apartment watching, feeling the intentions of those nearby. She looked across at Kael, he wasn't doing much different.

    Kael was keeping watch while trying to remember what Stealth said about Sith during the Vong War. Most of it was historical, which make Kael comatose within 30 seconds, he recalled HQ saying that she lasted only about 5 minutes max. Glancing in the Malek family direction, Kael could see Ethan was dressing in an ORSF uniform, at least that's what Ilona called it. Kael wasn't so sure, the inner insurgent in his head thought that taking out a senior member of the ORSF could draw either the Tarkin's or the Malek family out. That and combined with Stealth seeming to know where he and HQ were when they were on mission better after he received some training...he wasn't sure this would work. The problem is, Kael didn't have a better idea.

    Wearing the black and gold uniform of the ORSF again Ethan felt reminded of his youth, to the day when he had presented himself to his parents in his new uniform, how proud they had been that their son would rise out of the slums of his childhood. It almost drove tears in his eyes and he wished they had lived long enough to see just how high their son had made it. The only thing he had been able to do was to recover their bones and inter them in the small family shire outside of their mansion in the mountains. After his return the government had given him a new ORSF dress uniform, to honor his previous services but it had been ages since he last had worn it.

    The last part was the hat, an officers cap that he had pulled deep over his face to obscure his identity.

    "Does it work?"
    he asked Ilona sighting. Ethan hate the idea of trying to hide his identity and was sure if the Sith where looking for them they would find them no matter what.

    Ilona saw the discomfort her father felt about this mascaraed but she was glad he had at least allowed them to do it. Stepping closer she adjusted his hat a bit. "Should work like this." She asked herself if there was truly any real danger or if this was part of some kind of other plan.

    But Ilona loved her father and if there was even a slight change he was in danger she would do everything she could to protect him.

    Ilona had sat down in the pilots seat of the freighter and be fun studying its controls. They didn't seem too far of from what she was used to and she assumed it would be pretty easy to fly it to their mansion quite a few hours from the capital city.

    Marie stopped in the doorway, narrowing her eyes. 'So the wants to be the pilot, I can play that game' ."You're flying? That's good, it's hand to learn new ships, broaden your horizons." she said taking the co-pilots seat. "And having a back up with that experience gives you that opportunity."

    Ilona rolled her eyes, was Marie implying she couldn't handle this? "Shouldn't be too hard, though I still think an Eriaduan ship would have been better." She started the engines and then tried her best to keep the ship in a stable balance.

    "And way more obvious. We're supposed to be hiding your father, not advertising him for a hit." Marie drawled as she ran her hands over the controls.

    "Sure an Eriaduan ship on Eriadu, there is nothing more obvious than that," Ilona responded a bit more aggressive than she wanted to.

    Kael heard some of the back and forth between the two, he went to the cargo bay to check on his equipment and grab his carbine. He didn't want to be caught flat-footed. He readied some of his explosives just in case it would be needed, at least to ready a trap.

    Marie chuckled. "Sure, diplomatic ships are a dime a dozen. We set to go?" She asked turning to face Ilona. They were both strong willed women and Marie had a feeling they needed to find common ground, a gut feeling this was important. Still, she had to show her she was no pushover.

    Launching with no issues Marie was mildly impressed with Ilona's skill as she angled the ship in a direction she obviously knew well. Gazing at the scopes she frowned. "We've picked up a tail." She leaned over and flicked a few switches. "Shield's double rear, I don't like this.........it feels wrong." Marie wasn't sure why, but what ever was behind them felt....dark.

    Ethan looked up, he had spent most of the flight in his thoughts, wondering if it was truly the right decision to leave the city and head for the wilderness where they would stand basically alone against their pursuers. And now, his old instincts noticed the growing activity in the cockpit and how Ilona's and Marie´s teasing had suddenly become serious. "They are here," he told Adrian and Kael, before securing himself and starting a silent prayer that his children would get out of this alive.

    "I´m seeing it," Ilona replied, cursing herself for her arrogance, now in this dangerous situation maybe it would have been better if Marie, who knew this ship better than she did, was piloting.

    Marie frowned. "They want us dead." She could feel it and she turned backward. "Adrian!! Upper guns!!!" she yelled. She taken note of the weapons on the trip in. "Rest of you strap in, it's gonna be rough!"

    Adrian reacted quickly, jumping from his and throwing only a quick glance at his father who had already strapped himself in. As the first shots hit the ship he nearly fell of the small ladder up to the upper guns but managed to hold onto it. Reaching the seat up there and strapping himself in he quickly identified their attacker and began firing hastily in their direction.

    Kael dogged down his cargo once he heard the shots impact the shields and went to find a basic readout on the sensors, they were too low for an escape pod to be a good idea. He then went to find a secure spot to strap in.

    "Not sure if that turret will be enough to get them of our back," Ilona said, grinding her teeth as she did her best to dodge the incoming fire.

    Marie glanced as she attempted to increase the shields by drawing on life support. "It won't, but it shows we won't go down without a fight!" Swinging the under nose guns backward and attempted to us them with little or no effect. "How far away are we?"

    "To the mansion? Still quite a trek, at least half an hour. From them? Few hundred meters at best, they are coming closer, that things definitely flies faster than ours." Ilona responded, her hands racing over the console in front of her.

    "We're out gunned too!! Shields are failing!" She turned to Ilona, "We're not going to make it!" she opened an internal comm. "Hold on, we're going down!!!"

    Kael remembered that Stealth mentioned that Kirney had a couple of StealthXs at her disposal, maybe if he sent her a message....static...he queued the message to be sent once the jamming was lifted. Kael could only hope that several angry women would trump a Sith.

    Ilona saw it as well. At least they didn't shoot us down over the ocean, where her last thoughts before she began hammering onto the console in an attempt to stabilize the ship at least enough so they could survive the crash.

    "Gods have mercy," Ethan muttered as he felt what was happening around them. Please, let at least my kids be okay.

    Adrian screamed while clinging himself onto the turrets seat, trying to fight the panic that threatened to overcome him.

    Scanning the sensors Marie picked something up as the ship began to dive having taken one too many hits. "There's something down there!! Hold on, I think we're gonna hit something other than trees!"




    TAG @darthbernael @Anedon @adaml83 @Sinrebirth
     
  4. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: A short combo with @galactic-vagabond422

    IC Bernael, Renn, Count Malvern
    The Grand Ball, Part 2

    Bernael slid through the gathered nobles, a nod to those he didn’t recognize, a short greeting, empty platitudes, to those he did. As he moved, he kept his eyes out for Count Malvern. As he walked, he noticed Kate had found a dancing partner, or rather one had found her. He couldn’t explain the slight annoyance that caused him, but it did. However, he couldn’t let that affect what he’d come here to do.

    On his first circuit of the ballroom he continued seeking out the Count of Serenno, but there was no point in greeting the man and discussing the Holocron until he acquired the newer Letter of Introduction from his contact. He continued to circulate, in any other situation he’d make one or more of the lesser, or relatively invisible nobles disappear for good, but this was not the time or place.

    On his second circuit he spotted his contact, as an older man Bernael wasn’t surprised that the Count had come when or as he saw fit, to the Ball. One of the most powerful men on Serenno didn’t need to worry about the frowns or shaken heads at his late appearance, he was above them. But it did mean that Bernael could finally touch base. He continued his wanders, so as not to make it obvious his path was bringing him closer to Count Malvern.

    Several minutes passed and he had come within arms reach of the Count finally. “Good evening, Count Malvern, how are you, old friend? I heard you ran into my associates earlier today, and had to deal with my annoyance at the concierge at the clothier, as they put on airs. Had I known you had an appointment, I wouldn’t have gone so far.”

    On the other side of the ballroom, Renn was desperately trying to remember any steps to any dances he knew so that he could take Kara onto the dance floor and have fun twirling around the room with her. He had told Kate he’d take care of Kara and he fully intended for her to enjoy her first ball.

    Count Malvern arrived precisely when he was meant to. Not too late, but certainly not too early. He caught the dance of Bernael and the young woman he'd met at the clothing store...Kate. With a slight pinch to his mouth he continued greeting former acquaintances and the like. It had been a while since he was 'out in society' as it were. Many were surprised to see him at all. He made the rounds picked up a drink enjoying it but feeling a little lost, a little unbalanced. He didn't have her...his Noa. She was always the social butterfly, made these things bearable.

    He was making his way to the edge of the dance floor to take in the sight of the young couples dancing. His days were well over, his knee and ankle having been giving him trouble for the past few years. He could still remember the first time he danced with Noa. Him in his military regalia, an Admiral in the defense force, her in the most ravishing dress. His hair was deep red in those days, with a fiery temper to match. He'd ended more discussions with his right fist than his tongue when he was younger.

    Though he mellowed with age, as his red hair turned white a sagely wisdom settled over him. As he was watching he felt a presence behind him. Turning he found Bernael dressed in an older style as suited him.

    "It was no issue, I wasn't even away that you had arrived...or that your associates were visiting that particular shop. No matter I suppose you are here for this." From under his cloak he presented a sealed envelope, the crest of House Malvern upon it. "I believe this should be good enough to get you wherever you need to be." He said with a half knowing smile.

    With a bow he excused himself moving to get another drink.

    Bernael took the envelope, making it disappear under his coat, into an inner pocket. He nodded to the Count and watched as the man disappeared into the crowd. He had what he needed now, and all that remained was to meet the Count of Serenno and conclude his business. And that meant that he could enjoy the ball for now. He stood by the dance floor and watched as Kate danced with that young man he’d seen earlier and then caught a glimpse of Renn and Kara dancing, which brought a smile to his face.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @galactic-vagabond422, @I_am_Kooky
     
  5. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Senator Doe
    Ahem

    It hadn't been impossible to take an unscheduled break from his schedule, but it was surprisingly difficult to do so without an aide chasing around for him. So, he told the Minister of Internal Affairs that he was seeing the Security Council and then told them that he was his office administrator, and then told the her that he was with the Minister of Internal Affairs.

    On the hope that none of those people would speak to each other, Senator Doe headed to his secret shuttle; the one he kept off the books, having spent his slowly gathered private funds upon it. It had taken a while, because he wanted it stealth equipped but also large enough to accommodate his small secretarial staff or his family, depending why he was fleeing.

    The shuttle made its way to the asteroid belt, and Doe tapped the channel open, putting it on a low enough setting that it could not be intercepted outside the belt.

    Clearing his breath, he spoke up.

    "Whomever is occupying the old Wraith base, I would appreciate an audience,"

    TAG: @Adalia-Durron, @Anedon, @adaml83
    ---
    IC: Count Dooku

    Leaving Adumar

    With the news that the Hapans were deploying towards Coruscant and blocking hyperlanes, the Count that the Hapans were deploying unilaterally very quickly, and he rushed to leave the convocation on Adumar. Other politicians were whispering, panicking, or plotting, but Dooku was leaving; the Confederation victory had not materialised, and the skirmish at the edge of the Coruscant system had stalled them just long enough.

    Supreme Commander Phennir cut the channel, leaving Babo, Rogriss and the Perator with the politicians and others, including the food, and Loriana, Adam, Kirney and the others had plenty to deal with as the feed to Coruscant was also cut.

    Something had dramatically changed, seemingly.

    In short order, Dooku's swift private yacht, the Serenno's Pride, leapt into hyperspace, ignoring the orders of the Adumari to return.

    He left the Bothan Assault Cruiser and supply fleet in orbit, and Babo opened a channel to the cruiser, debating whether to ground all the politicians.

    He eyed the pilots, trying to figure out what to do next.

    Dooku, for his part, sent a message via Serenno to the two parties interested in the Holocron of Andeddu; he was coming back. Said message would also fall in the hands of a certain bounty hunter in orbit...

    I return from Adumar shortly; the Holocron will pass to whomever first claims it with the appropriate letter of recommendation.

    A generic message do for Bernael, part for the One Sith.

    TAG: @adaml83, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha
    ---
    IC: Darth Caedus

    En route to Coruscant

    He knew that the Hapans would deploy to stop him, but they wouldn't catch Jacen in a StealthX.

    Soon enough he and Allana would be safe, and Tenel Ka - if she survived - would have to do as she was told.

    With the GA Eighth Fleet returned by the Hapans, he could take the war back to the Confederation, and defend Coruscant from the Wookiees and even the Imperial Remnant if need be.

    Their victory was assured.

    All because of his daughter.

    Seemed appropriate.

    He was doing this for her.

    TAG: No-One
    ---
    IC: Eris Harro

    Eriadu, Sesswenna Sector, government offices

    It was getting late, but Eris couldn't sleep with the Confederate deal up in the air.

    Then; it came through.

    The acceptance, and confirmation that supplies would come from Adumar shortly to compensate the Eriaduan deployment - and Sullust and Sluis Van would be theirs.

    Eris was elated, and sent a message to Ethan for her to immediately speak to her, and she notified the other Quintad members.

    Eriadu had just joined the Confederation!

    Ethan was out of touch it seemed, so Eris rolled her eyes, heading to her speeder. She'd have to deliver the information in person.

    As she went to go, she felt a breeze brush by her, and frowned, patting herself down.

    Nothing missing. Odd.

    --
    Malek Estate

    The freighter indeed didn't hit just the tree-line, it skipped across the floor, ripping the underside but not compromising the hull, and indeed the ship slammed into another ship that had seemingly been grounded, or perhaps hidden, in the jungle. It was a black cube, and from the look of it had been there for a fair amount of time. But it had no identifiable engines or indeed weapons. Each face had a circular part to it, which was slightly sunken as if it could iris open and reveal a cockpit. Not quite as big as a freighter, but bigger than a starfighter.

    But that's what they hit, and released from an ancient tangle of grass, vine and tree.

    The Malek Estate, of course, was still not very far from here.

    But they had disturbed the jungle, and veermok primates howled, bounding towards their ship to express their outrage at the intrusion.

    Adrian Malek, Ilona Malek, Ethan Malek, Kael Swiftflight, Marie Firestone were down, and Irek, annoyed that they had escaped his trap somehow, marched into the jungle, inciting the animal life here to go feral and attack them even as he ripped the windows off the ship.

    A dozen veermok thus advanced on their freighter, beating the hull, screaming out.

    [​IMG]

    Irek ignited his crimson blade and began cutting his way through the jungle, using the Force to keep the animals aggressive and violent.

    While Irek was watched by Romulus and Remus, they would sense that they too, were under watch.

    But there was nothing in the Force they could find a shape of, and sensors saw nothing either.

    The Umbaran Sith twins had noticed them, but Nyss could not help himself; he left the slightest impression before vanishing again.

    It was more fun to have the prey suspicious, no?

    TAG: @Adalia-Durron, @Anedon, @adaml83, @darthbernael

    TAG: @darthbernael, @I_am_Kooky, @galactic-vagabond422, @Adalia-Durron - the Serenno tagset will move along shortly

    TAG: @I_am_Kooky, @galactic-vagabond422 - Coruscant tag-set needs a response before it can move along

    TAG: @The Real Kyp Durron, @Corellian_Outrider - Endor tagset etc
     
  6. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    Interlude III, abridged, taking from Legacy of the Force: Fury

    Hapes, later

    Isolder stepped away from the monitor. Jacen Solo popped up on the display, somber, dressed in his Galactic Alliance Guard colonel’s uniform.

    “Greetings to the esteemed Queen Mother of the Hapes Consortium.” His voice did not exactly drip with sarcasm, but the excessive formality he employed, treating Tenel Ka as some distant ruler, ignoring all that they had been to each other, was just hurtful. “At Kuat, you put me in an untenable situation. Being abandoned to my enemies, abandoned by one for whom I once held considerable affection and respect, was like being murdered... and surviving.”

    “So I’m going to repay the favour. You have a choice to make, like the one you tried to force upon me. You will put all Hapan military forces under my command, with ships’ senior officers to be supplied by the Galactic Alliance... or your daughter will die.”

    Jacen learned forward so that his face more completely filled the monitor screen. His eyes were bright, inhuman in their intensity and focus. They even seemed lighter in colour than usual. “By doing what you did to me, you changed me into someone doing exactly what I have promised. This threat is not a bluff, and if it takes place, it will be your doing. Something to keep in mind next time you play the Hapan cultural sport of backstabbing and bloodletting.”

    The screen went dark.

    Tenel Ka let out a breath she realised she’d been holding since Jacen first appeared on screen. Isolder said nothing.

    Finally, she turned to him. She struggled to keep her voice even, but it wasn’t easy; her breath wanted to come in pained gasps. “Prince Isolder. In your opinion, is he capable of carrying out his threat?”

    “I don’t know him nearly as well as you, Queen Mother. But... yes.” He glanced at the monitor. “I’ve watched the recording a dozen times, and each time I see a man whose humanity has been utterly extracted from him.”

    Tears came to Tenel Ka’s eyes. “He was right, you know. It’s like being murdered and surviving.”
     
  7. I_am_Kooky

    I_am_Kooky Sth Aust. Chapter Representative star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2004
    ooc - Thanks @galactic-vagabond422 for the . . surprising combo.

    IC Kate, Kara and Count Malvern
    The Grand Ball - Serreno.

    Kate saw Kara out of the corner of eyes are she danced away. Sir Venalin was a lovely dance partner, He was a little shorter but then again, most people were next to Kate. He kept good time and a good humour as Kate inadvertently stepped on this foot during the dance. He was charming and funny and it made Kate feel relaxed, but by the end of the dance, she was feeling a little thirsty. She turned down another offer by another suitor and headed over to the sides of the hall, looking for the people serving drinks, while keeping an eye on Kara.

    Count Malvern was standing near the drinks, not taking too many mingling with the crowd. He had kept himself busy catching up with the latest gossip, and seeing what the social landscape looked like in his absence. A few things had changed, couples had broken up, friends were now enemies, standard things really. Though he heard some of the younger men talking about this new woman that seemed to just appear out of nowhere. As he turned away from his current conversation partner he caught sight of her, the young woman from the shop. Tilting his head a little he nodded toward her. As she came to get a drink he stood next to her, noticing the eyes of a few young men watching them. "It is a pleasure to see you here Kate." He said in a kindly tone. "How are you finding our fair planet?"

    "To be honest I haven't had much of a chance to see it" just jumping straight into conversation with Claugh, she was still taking in the sights and sounds, it was a very different experience to anything she had done in the past. She took a big drink from the water she got, she then turned to face him "We got to the shop, we got a bite to eat on the way back to the ship, and have been on the ship until we got back here" she said in a slightly faraway tone. "I hope your day was alright," she said with a smile.

    "It was fine, saw to a few things around the house." He looked pensive for a bit. "I'm sure it's all quite a lot for you." He looked at her still looking around with a wide-eyed look. "I'm sure you'll get a chance to explore it tomorrow. I could even be your guide if that is something you would be interested in."

    "oh that would be lovely, but I don't know, I don't know what I am doing tomorrow, . . . I would love to see the world, but I kinda just want to go home. I am waiting on my ride, as he has promised to escort me home after well, some less than ideal situations happened" She thought back to the events that lead her to this moment, all of them out of her control, and she was feeling out of control and was angry at herself for acting like it. "I don't really have any way of getting another ride, so I will just wait it out." just another thing she felt was out of her control. She looked back out to the crowd, seeing Kara dancing with Renn, Kara looked so happy and Renn was beaming and smiling himself. But Kate was still feeling a little weird about it, she couldn't decide if it was positive or negative. She was probably still a bit sore about the fight she had with Renn earlier and that was affecting her emotions about this. This disconnect between her thoughts and emotions was just another thing grating on her.

    A look of concern came over the Count's face, he noted Kate's look as she watched her daughter dance with the man from the store. "Would you care to walk with me, give you a rest from all that dancing?"

    Kate saw another young gentleman making his way toward her, with that look in his eye. She knew he would ask her to dance, and her feet were a little sore from the new shoes. She really didn't like the idea of another dance just yet, they were long and rather intensive for someone who didn't know them at all. She finished her water and got some juice. She thought about grabbing some alcoholic beverage but decided she would need all her senses. She was already annoyed they were dull from grief, she was annoyed with her self, her behaviour over the past few days. She logically understood herself, but couldn't reconcile her emotions with these thoughts. It had only been two weeks, she knew she should let herself off the hook. She was meant to be enjoying this party, yet these thoughts would not leave her.

    She looked back at Claugh. "Yes, that would be lovely." She started to walk with him, and she gave a look back to the boy that was almost near her. He understood, nodded his head slightly and went off to find someone else. She looked back into her drink and walked slowly with him, relaxing again. She found his presence very soothing, he seemed to be in control but had a very gentle tone, kind of reminded her of her dad.

    He took her arm smiling as he guided her around the room. Moving towards the edge away from others and where the crowd was thin Malvern turned to Kate with a smile. "Tell me, how did you meet Barnael, he's a bit of an enigma. Though I have not known him to offer young ladies rides anywhere."

    Kate chuckled lightly, "Yeah, he is not really the type" she looked into her drink, remembering the order of events, and deciding how much to tell Claugh. She looked back up to see Kara had found someone else about her age, another girl, and they were talking quite happily. It looked like Kara was telling some sort of dramatic story by the way she was waving her arms, the other girl looked in awe. True to his word Renn was no less than three steps away, watching her while talking to some other person.

    "I was. . . " she took a breath. . . "I was on Kashyyyk when it was attacked, I lost my husband and son. Kara and I escaped. We managed to get to a friend of mine, we were safe enough there. I let Kara run around by her self, but she was gone a while and I got nervous." She swished around her drink. "I thought I heard Kara on Barneal ship, children are curious after all, and well, the location is not where you would expect to find children anyway." She turned back to face Claugh. "I find her trapped on his ship, she had gotten where she was not meant to be, her own doing. I got her out, but then the ship took off. We where stowaways. Barnael found us, we talked it out and he dropped us off so I could get back my own way." She smiled sadly, then modified the story a little, she didn't know what this man thought of Barnael, but didn't want to paint him a bad light un-intentionally. "We couldn't find a suitable transport home, so Barneal offered us a lift to another planet, where he himself organised some transport to take us home. That ride didn't go smoothly." she looked back into her drink, she could still hear the woman scream, feel feeling of washing the blood off her daughter's hands, the coldness in her heart at her actions. "Barnael decided with his honour, that he should drop us home, so nothing else would go wrong. But he had to make a detour here for his mission that I don't know about" Kate shrugged her shoulders, then took a sip of her drink.

    Malvern nodded his head listening to the story his face was mournful hearing her tale of woe, though something was bothering him, something in his heart. "Seems you had quite the journey to get here. I don't blame you for not knowing what would come tomorrow. Or just wanting to go home. In times of distress and war, things can be fluid." He walked along with Kate, noting her expression, the darkness in her eyes, the tiredness that clung to her features. One of loss, of confusion, of pain. He'd seen it before, on his wife, after their daughter past away. "Where is it you were trying to go? I'm sure for someone of Barnael's talents and capability it would have been a simple thing for him to just drop you back home. None of this letting you find your own way. Not that you are not capable, just that it would have been simple for him to do that. And to drag you and your daughter all the way out here. I understand him wanting to keep you safe but all this..." He gestured with his hand to the ball to her, "It seems a bit much, don't you think?" He let that question sit for a bit before asking another. "Have you been able to contact your friends at least let them know you are alright?"

    A look of anger crossed her features as the fight with Renn came back to her, the topic of being dropped home quickly was mentioned, but she let it pass, she was meant to be enjoying herself. She looked down at her dress, then back to the ball. She tried to keep up with his questions, not that he was talking fast, but that she was processing slowly. "I was able to leave a message with my friend. She knows I'm okay" She thought about her next few answers. "I'm headed to Taris, I've been so, 'I don't want to impose, I don't want to be a trouble' which clearly I have been. I've started off the back foot, and it's hard to come back from a place of no power." As she said that, Kate just felt more powerless as she started to come to terms with everything. "A leaf on the wind" she muttered.

    Again his brow furrowed worry building in him. "Well, at least someone knows you are alright." The tone in his voice while even was a little strained, "You do have power, you have your voice and if Barnael was a man of honour he would respect your wishes would he not?"

    "He does, he has, he has been very kind when he didn't have to be." and she meant it, but something was niggling at her. She couldn't place it, so lost under everything else she was trying to work through. She looked back up to see Kara with another two kids, she gave a warm smile as these other kids also seem to be swept up in whatever Kara was talking about. Kate was interested, but she would find out later. She was enjoying this gentle walk with Claugh.

    "Hummm...Then why do you feel so powerless? Asking for help and receiving kindness can be difficult things. Or could it just be that you feel cast about by forces beyond your control and still unable to find something to hold on to? Have you talked to anyone about this? You have been through much more than what you are saying." A knowing look came over him. "And Kara she seems to be handling it alright but she could use someone to talk to, someone to help her if she needs it."

    "No, I . . there hasn't been time to talk really, it has been one thing after another. . .As I said to Barnael, I just want everything to stop for a moment, let me catch up. I don't know what to do, where to go, my friend, amazing as she is, I don't think, . . . and Barnael, . . .all of this would have been if he just. . .then. . ." struggling to articulate what she was feeling. She put the glass down and kept walking in silence for a bit.

    "I don't . . . My only goal is to protect my daughter, and I haven't been able to do that well enough." This hurt her more than she thought it would say out loud. "I don't have a plan, I don't have money, and right now, I don't even have the clothes on my back. I am stuck on a ship with two men I don't know taking me "home" but they have their own things to do and I am dragged along because 'they want to protect me'." she said the last words a bit bitterly. "Whatever it is they do, I don't want Kara around that. She needs a home on a ground, a school, a stable place, and I can't do any of that for her right now, whatever I have left is on the other side of the galaxy at war that's already beaten us from both sides. . ., and whatever saving I have, it's probably not enough to rebuild a life. . ." Kate sighed "I didn't mean to. . .I shouldn't have dumped this on you, I don't even know you"

    "It's ok, it's alright." He said nodding his head. The look of worry taking over. "You say Barnael and his Associate want to protect you yet they just drag you around?" He was quiet for a bit. "I do not wish to speak out of turn but...If all you need is some time, to catch your breath, to have a place to let yourself catch up...I could certainly provide that." He held up his hand asking her to hold off her reply for a moment. "I know you hardly know me, and I just met you. You are free to leave to go seek your own place to lay your and your daughter's head. I can provide you with that. I know something of what Bernael is involved in, and it is certainly no place for a child...and for you." He said the last part with a grave tone. "I will admit to being a little worried about you in his company. It bears too many resemblances to...to a tragedy I witnessed."

    Kate felt the initial instinct to reject the idea, why impose her self on yet another stranger? But this man radiated nothing but a gentle father like presence, a calm and peace that she hadn't felt in weeks. "I want to accept, but, I don't. . .want to be a burden. . ." She wanted to ask more but decided to not just yet. She heard Kara's laughing and watched as she danced around in a circle with one of the other girls. She smiled and looked back at this older gentleman, "This is a party, I should stop being such a downer" she winked, as she referenced something similar Claugh said back in the shop.

    "You wouldn't be a burden, not ever." He said with a smile. "But, you are right this is a party...however, you shouldn't let these things fester, and get worse inside you. I can feel that you are unbalanced, unnerved by all that is going on. If you need a listening ear or a place to rest I can provide that..." He stepped forward, taking her hand in his. "I only wish to help, not protect." He smiled again nodding his head. "Please enjoy the party. I will be around if you wish to talk again."

    Kate bowed in returned, feeling his warm hands wrapped around hers. As she pulled away, she felt the paper in her hand, but wouldn't be rude and look at it right away. "Thankyou Claugh, you've, . . . made me feel better" She turned away toward the table ladened with food, she carefully put the paper way where no one would see or get to it. She picked up something that looked savoury and found it to be delicious

    Kara ran up behind her "Mum! Mum! Meet Safira!" she said half dragging a giggling blond girl with a bright pink poofy dress behind her. "Hello Safira, I'm Kate," she said bowing correctly and watching the girl, well-trained return the bow. "Nice to meet you, Kara has been telling us about the amazing adventures she has been on to get here tonight," Safira said with a sparkle of awe and wonder in her eyes. Kate looked at Kara with that look of 'what did you say' only to see the click of realization in her daughter's eyes that she wasn't meant to talk about it. Kate sighed internally, well it's out now, but she was worried about what she had said now. A shorter woman, also Blond and dressed in a deep pink in a style that matched Safira's dress joined behind Safira.

    The woman was about the same age as Kate with a smile on her face. "Yes, they seem rather harrowing." She turned with a slight smile, "She most certainly has an active imagination and thinks the world of you. Protecting her from those bad people on that ship, cornered by the confederates. It had me on the edge of my seat."

    Kate looked at Kara, and Kara looked back up at her innocently as she could, although she felt like she did something wrong. Kate looked back at the older woman, she had a smile on her face, although she could see the worry behind her eyes. "All imagination has a spark of truth in it" She soften her gaze as she looked back down at her daughter. Then moved to stand next to her and gently place her hand on Kara's shoulder in a protective manner as Claughs words gently ran through her head, 'have you talked to anyone'?. She smiled at Kara, she did have the right to talk to someone about it. Kate looked back up at the woman. "Sadly this tale has more truth than imagination" Still worried about what Kara had said, she was still worried someone would take her way.

    The mother's face darkened a little concern flashing across it. "Well, I hope neither you nor her were in any serious danger...like in her story. I don't know if I could take my daughter being in such a dangerous situation."

    "War doesn't give you a choice, but for today we are safe. . .here" Kate gestured to the ball.

    "And what about tomorrow? And the day after? War is no place for a child...Surely there is somewhere safe for you?"

    "Ahhhhh," Kate thought about it, she wanted to answer, but couldn't. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, where she would be. Her heart started to beat faster, as she gently squeezed Kara's shoulder. She looked around "well, we are headed to Taris," she said in an unsure tone, that was the last plan she had in action, as much as she could.

    "Taris..." The woman stopped for a moment thinking. "I've heard something about that. Some story from a cousin that just returned from a trip...I told her that is was dangerous to travel in these conditions but...anyway she heard that Taris was attacked, bombarded from orbit she said..."

    "What?" Kate said in disbelief, her mind starting spinning again. They where there, they were escaping . . . "I was. . .I . . ." she said, she quickly looked around and saw a seat by the wall. She needed to sit, she needed to process. "I need a seat, I was just there" she left the mother and Safira, she held on to Kara bring her with her.

    Kara initially protested wanting to be with her friend, but went along with her mum, and watched as her mum sat, she looked distraught. "Mum?" Kara asked worriedly. She thought about the woman's words, "attacked from orbit. . . like home?" and her mum could only nod, Kara saw the tears in her eyes. "but why?" Kara whispered feeling scared, the bright music from the party dulling in her ears. "I don't know, sweetheart" 'for sure' she wanted to add, but Kate suspected it had something to do with the escape from the Ocean, but how and why, she didn't have enough information. Although she could hear the sounds of the explosions, know the terror the people must have felt, she looked up and saw the fear in Kara. So she drew her into a big hug.

    It was a few moments later when the other mother arrived Safira in tow. "Are you alright?" She asked, "Do you need some water?"

    "No, no, I'm fine, Kara?" Kara just shook her head, her face planted firmly in the crook of her mother's neck. Kate wiped the tears from her own eyes. Kara waited for a moment, then took a deep breath and let go, looking back into her mother's eyes, "What do we do now?" Kate could only stare back at her, "I don't. . ." but again, the words of Claugh came back to her, warm and soothing, like her father.' If all you need is some time, to catch your breath, to have a place to let yourself catch up...I could certainly provide that. You wouldn't be a burden, not ever.' "We were invited to stay here, on this planet. You remember that lovely older man in the shop, Count Malvern, he has offered us to stay with him for a time" Kate offered her daughter, the more Kate thought about it, the more she wanted that. She didn't want to leave another plant, she didn't want anything else bad to happen to them.

    The mother's eyes widen a little stunned a little in shock. "Count...Count Malvern. If you are looking for safety than there can be no safer place. I am frankly surprised that he would offer that. He...he has been a bit of a recluse since...well since the passing of his wife. I worried he would become bitter and spiteful in his old age. I am glad to see him be so kind, that he hasn't let his loss overshadow him." She stepped closer to Kate, almost looking like she wanted to hug the other woman. "He has always been a generous man, I am so glad that his kind heart is still with him."
    Kate smiled at the other woman. Hearing that made her feel a little better, she thought she knew he was a good man, but her instincts have been so off, she was scared to trust them.

    "What about Renn?" Kara asked,
    "What about him?" Kate asked back.
    "Well, we are with them, on the ship and, . . .and he was teaching me stuff. . .and he is my friend!"
    "I'm your friend too!" Safira protested! "Your way more exciting then my other friends, and if you stay here, we can hang out together!"

    "Now let's not get ahead of ourselves..." Safira's mother cautioned. "But, if you were to stay here, I'm sure we could arrange something..." Leaning in closer, "And honestly I could get out of the house a bit more." She looked at Kate with a warm smile.

    Kate looked up at the woman, and Kate slowly rose from her seat, feeling better now she had a plan she had some say in. "I'm Kate" she bowed to the other woman. "And I could use with being in a house for a bit," she said in a slightly cheeky tone and a warm smile.

    "I'm Palla, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

    "Palla" Kate smile, she kind of wanted to give the woman a hug, but felt it somehow not the right place or time. "Well, that's sorted, I will find Claugh and talk to him some more, but its a party, we should be dancing or eating or something," Kate said cheerfully as she could muster, she promised to leave her troubles at the door, and somehow they still found her. She was determined more than ever now to have that good time.

    TAG: @darthbernael , @Sinrebirth , @Adalia-Durron (indirect mention)
     
  8. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: A combo with @I_am_Kooky

    IC Bernael and Kate
    One Last Dance

    Bernael’s
    face stilled, behind his mask. He could feel things, sense things, all part of his heritage. He didn’t mean to read Kate’s mind but it was all over her mind and his contact here on Serenno had gone beyond what he’d expected of the man. By the time she returned he saw the emotions all over her and he was sure Renn could feel it too.

    He slowly made his way over to where she was seated, and broke into the conversation for the moment, “I must apologize but I would like to steal my date for a dance. Will you join me, Kate?”

    Kate smiled warmly at Bernael, "Of course, I would love to." She nodded to Palla, the girls would be fine, and she took Bernael’s hand and followed him.

    Bernael led her to the dance floor, wrapped her in the embrace of the dance, and began moving with her. His low, monotone reached out to her, and her alone on the floor, “You will break Renn’s heart, and don’t deny, I didn’t even need to truly read your mind to know.”

    She sighed a bit and kept in time with the music. "I know, and I'm sorry. . .but you can't deny that travelling around the galaxy in a ship doing, . . whatever it is you do, is not good for a child, her socialization, her education." she went on, but felt she really didn't have to.

    He continued the dance, not letting anyone around sense the drama even now happening in their midst, not even Renn, especially not him. “I will deal with Renn. Choices are there to be made, and you made one so life continues. After this, the ball is almost done and we can take you back to the Fury to get your items and mementos and then you are free to go with the Count. Tell him though that his association with me and the Society and my patronage of him and his House is done.”

    Kate sensed the displeasure in his words, not so much his tone. "Has he done something wrong? Why would you not tell him yourself?" she winced slightly, she knew she shouldn't pry, but it was too late. Her heart was already scared. She knew that both men were powerful, and she didn't want to get in between them, but it seems, somehow, again that she was, and her very presence continued to cause chaos.

    “The Count barely spoke to me upon delivering what I needed and I could feel he’d rather not in the first place but did so only because of our past. However, given all that has transpired, and the fact he does know me, he will not be surprised by the development either, or that I will not be delivering the news personally. Renn is an old friend and he will survive.” He stated as the music began to fade and the dance ended.

    "Oh" Kate said as she let go, the dance had ended and she bowed. "Bernael, you. . .you have been so kind to me and my daughter, and Renn too. I owe you a lot, and I feel I won't be able to pay you what you deserve. I feel like I have slighted you somehow, and thrown your kindness back in your face when that is not the case at all." Kate was feeling so very guilty, so very small under his gaze. "That's not what I meant to do" She then heard Kara laughing with Safira, and she knew that it was the right decision.

    "But I will do what is right for Kara. You promised to protect me, and you have, more than I thought possible. Here is a safe place, and you brought me here. Had it not been for you and everything that happened, I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't have a safe place for my daughter. Even if it's only temporary . . . like life. I thank you from the bottom of my soul, with all the force in the galaxy and I'm sorry for any pain I have caused you and Renn and your mission."

    “You are doing what you must for your child and I am doing what is necessary as well. I really do not see what the balance and Renn thought, enjoy your stay here, but be cautious, war, broader and deeper is coming.” He looked over at Renn and could tell his friend had caught it all, as the tree was departing the ball, by himself, and as the doors began to shut he could see Renn was shifting, into something to move away from the ball at speed.

    "Time and Chance happen to us all." she looked down at her dress then back up at Bernael. "If its easier for you and Renn, we could leave now with Claugh, and we will send you the dresses and everything else to the Fury. We have nothing on the ship that is ours."

    “It may make it easier for Renn, yes, but keep the dresses.”

    He turned, to follow Renn, then turned back, “He had just finished the new droid for her, I do not know if it will still be in one piece when I get to the ship but if it is, and I can get it away from him, I will have it sent to the Count’s residence.”

    "Thank You. . . but don't take it away from him. He can keep it as a memory." she looked for Kara, she should say goodbye, but she was on the far side of the hall with Safira and Palla.

    "May the Force be with you" Kate called out to Bernael as she stood alone at the edge of the dance floor.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @I_am_Kooky
     
  9. The Real Kyp Durron

    The Real Kyp Durron Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    May 6, 2018
    Ic Corran Horn, Kyp Durron
    Endor. - Gratitude to @Corellian_Outrider




    Having removed the Stealth X and put the droid in position he was set to go. "You good Squirt?" He called up. Several bleeps and whistles told him the droid was set to go. "Get the Navi set for where Ads is."

    Not far over was the classic T-65 X-Wing with the green colour scheme, that was signature of Corran. He came over to speak with Kyp before they depart. "Once we hit orbit, I'll dock with the Pulsar Skate and then we'll follow you."

    Kyp frowned. "Follow? Might be hard in hyperspace." He said with amusement. "I'll get Squirt to send the Co -ords to Whistler while we're on the ground. Might be safer. Like us they want to stay hidden."

    "I assumed we be all going together." Corran smirked. Let Kyp travel in his new ride, he was probably itching to test its limits than to dock and ferry over. "Thanks, and Whistler can use the Skate's Nav."

    He sensed Corran's amusement and reason behind it and turned to face him. "Wouldn't you?" He asked.

    "The Stealth X is a nicely crafted machine...but call me old fashioned.." Corran gestured to the T-65. "...a classic ever goes old and I still think she is the most beautiful thing I've ever flown." He shrugged. "Besides, there are advantages to riding on the Skate during hyperspace jumps."

    Kyp laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, working on some of those advantages. I am a little nervous. Not entirely sure why."

    "Just think, you be spending more time getting to know each other more." Corran smiled. "And your strengths will help overcome whatever challenges are in your way, together. That's the dynamic shift. She'll bring out the best in you."

    “I am the best in me." Kyp smirked. "I hope we can work it out. I guess we've managed so far. Just tell the galaxy to stop fighting and we might actually get that. Not even sure where she wants to have the baby. There’s been no real talk about any of this.”

    Corran could sympathise. He remembered back during the fledgling stages of the New Republic and the risks when Mirax and himself were becoming... less abrasive and enjoyed each other's company. Marrying each other and having to take the fight to Warlord Zsinj... that felt like a lifetime ago... He patted Kyp's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll get a chance soon enough."

    "This war can't last too long. We just need to eliminate the problem." His smile was gone now. Jacen Solo was the problem but removing him was harder than one would expect. His affiliation to his family was one of the biggest hurdles. “I’ll see you ……there. Not telling her I’m coming, we’re coming. She hates surprises.” That thought amused him.

    Corran nodded. "I then best see Valin before Kyle departs and meet Mirax in orbit. The sooner we get going..." he then shrugged and gave a mock salute. "I'll see you there. Safe travels."

    "Clear skies to you guys too."




    Tag @Adalia-Durron @adaml83 @Sinrebirth
     
  10. Adalia-Durron

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

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Jesse Coulson, Briana Odan , Adalia Tehanis, Sentator Doe, Rooty Aran, Jay Sarkin.
    Halmad System - Near Hawkbat Base.



    "Jesse, seriously, I'm fine."
    Adalia insisted as the man now carried her to her quarters. "This is embarrassing!"

    "No working hoverchairs on base, no choice." He responded cheerfully. He was in his element, he'd pulled her close as he'd carried her and was reveling in the warmth of her soft body against his. "Once you get there, I'll get things set up so you don't have to move around too much. We can order some food for you and..."

    "ENOUGH!" Adalia almost snapped, regretting her tone immediately. She'd been aware of his attraction and even now was very aware of his emotions. "I'm sorry, I didn't need to snap like that."

    Jesse had stopped when she'd raised her voice. "I am only trying to help you." He said in a cool tone.

    "I know, I know. Look, just get me to my quarters and I will be fine, please?"

    Jesse was a little hurt by her reaction but he also understood a strong woman like herself must be currently feeling helpless, not a feeling she'd appreciate. "Of course." he said quietly. Walking in silence to her quarters he gently placed her on her bed. "I'll get your Data pads."

    Adalia watched as he gathered her pads and moved a small table close to the bed. Her leg had a bacta patch on it, it was a decent cut but other than that she was unharmed and knew she'd be walking by morning at least. "Thank you" she said quietly opening her private messages and read them, still nothing from him. She was a little dejected as they'd just made a massive life decision, not to mention reunited, she'd hoped he'd send a simple 'Miss you'. The door buzzer made her look up.

    Briana was standing before Adalia's door, hand hovering over the buzzer, Stealth calls her Addie so....why not?, she hit the button, "Hey Addie? We have a visitor, and Stealth didn't equip this base with turbolasers so I can't use my form of diplomacy..."

    "Come in Briana" she said with a touch of annoyance, she didn't like feeling like this. The intrusions around here was even more than she was accustomed too. She wasn't sure of the woman's familiarity, Addie was for her friends, everyone else it was Adalia. She'd speak to Adam later about it.

    Briana cringed a bit at the formality, usually, that meant she messed up. Stupid! She composed herself quickly and opened the door. "I don't mean to disturb you, but it seems we have someone who wants to visit...and you're most likely to be the most diplomatic person here. Stealth knew that it'd be a bad idea to have a base armed when I'm here....and that's the only diplomacy I know." she offered a helpless shrug.

    "Who's out there?" Adalia asked, "Do you have the message?" It concerned her immediately that someone was aware they were even there. Unless another Saber was coming in?

    Briana again shrugged helplessly, "He didn't say." she pressed a button to play the message. The comm spoke out, "Whomever is occupying the old Wraith base, I would appreciate an audience," she looked at Adalia, "My guess? Possibly a politician making sure they're on the right side, or positioning themselves to be on the right side once all this settles out."

    Adalia listened to the message. "Can we respond without giving our exact location away?" she asked with a look of concentration on her features. "They know we're here, but clearly not exactly." She looked up at Briana. "No defenses you say? Thanks Adam." She pursed her lips. "How many armed ships do we have out there?" She was thinking out loud. "Get Rooty here, and prep his ship, he's going out to say hello for us."

    Briana shook her head, "Based on the location of the signal's origin, he's close. I imagine the locals might have remembered what the Wraiths did the last time they were here." She smirked at Adalia mentioning Adam, "I think he knows how much destruction I'd cause, then again, you also know how he likes to be seen avoiding the sensors. We don't have patrols as it would only notify the locals even faster, but we have our own sensors, both active and passive, and the metal in this shields a lot from sensors."

    Briana keyed a button that sounded an alert specifically in Rooty's room and quietly sent an alert to the maintenance crew on duty to make sure his A-wing was ready. She tossed the device at Adalia, "In case you also want to cause trouble...though one is on Adumar and the other is...elsewhere."'

    Adalia caught it. "Get Erbas and Jem up and set to move out if needed." She said looking at the device, "If Rooty needs back up, it'd be helpful. What does this do exactly?"

    Briana grinned wickedly, "It's an alert that's loud enough to definitely wake up someone in the room you want, but not rooms on either side. It's a modification of an interrogation technique we used during the last war." she still kept her grin, "Would it have been useful on Oracle?"


    Adalia laughed. "Oh hell yes. Might have to speak to you in private, I could use this in other places!"

    "You mean we should sneak something like this into Aden's personal quarters?" Briana's eyes sparkled with mischief.

    "Now that would be gold." She turned the device over in her hand. "Oh the possibilities....."

    Briana laughed, "We might need to plot and see if that's possible, though we might want to head to the Comm Center to listen to what this guy has to say."

    Jesse had stood silently in the corner when Briana suggested Adalia needed to be in Comms. "I guess that's my call to arms." he said flatly.


    Adalia turned to him, feeling horrible. "I can try to walk, let me try." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and attempted to stand, only to fall forward, the pain in her leg shooting through her.

    Jessie moved forward quickly and caught her. "Yeah I don't think so." he said as he moved around and scooped her up again. "Lead the way Briana."

    "This is so ......." Adalia had no words now.


    Briana shook her head, "Yeah." she walked towards the Comm center. When she opened the door, she looked at Jesse, "Why don't you see if you can find a hoverchair that she can control herself? Probably one in the med center, and we have a chair here while we listen in on this."

    Jesse placed her in a chair. "No, they don't I checked. Said the only one they had was damaged. They don't know what happened but something got into the store room there and made a mess."

    Adalia turned. "Like the mess in the lower levels?" she asked with a frown. "Something is down there that doesn't like technology." She gave her head a shake. "Later, deal with that later. Let's hear the message so I can fill Rooty in."


    The comms kicked in again. "I don't have any ill-will towards you specifically, but the last time someone used those asteroids a Super Star Destroyer turned up and a lot of people on Halmad died." The Senator was broadcasting again, not a direct message, and again at that low level setting so only the asteroids could receive it.

    Doe was referencing when the Wraiths used the asteroid to run a con against the Imperial aligned Halmad, pretending to be pirates and raiding the planet. Warlord Zsinj invaded, bringing the Iron Fist with him to capture the planet that the Wraith's had exposed to assault. Civilians had suffered because of the deployment, but the Wraith's had been able to use their pirate cover to join Zsinj's hanger-on's, and stop him stealing a second Super Star Destroyer, the Razor's Kiss, which had at the time been a tremendous victory against the warlord - who at that point had been expanding his empire without issue.

    Adalia listened and sat back, considering the options. She knew what he was referencing and she had to be honest, the thought had not crossed her mind. Till now. So far they were only hiding there, no attacks had been made, nothing had been done really.

    "You want me?"
    Rooty asked entering the room whilst smoothing down his wayward hair.

    Adalia turned and smiled. "Sleeping in the middle of the day cycle again?"

    He shrugged. "You know me, A Wing or bed. What do you need?"

    She chuckled slightly, "We have a visitor, outside the field who knows we are in here. Probably not exactly where but wants to chat. I need you to go out and chat with him. Senator Doe I believe. Says he just wants to talk, so go talk."

    Rooty folded his arms. "You want me to be some kind of diplomat?" he questioned.

    "I have no choice Rooty, I trust you most with this one. I can't go." She pointed to her leg then her stomach "Seems I've managed to ground myself good and proper."

    He looked to her leg. "What the frack did you do?"

    "Long story, no time now. Your ship is being prepped, when you open to him, keep the comms open her to us, I will listen in. I will guide you with private comms. It will be a bit complicated, but you've got this Speed." She explained.

    Rooty let out a big exaggerated sigh as he dropped his arms. "Great, you woke me from an amazing dream to play politician. This is going to be fun......." he said in a deadpan tone. "When do I get to shoot stuff?"

    Adalia reached out and took his hand. "Soon, I promise. I have some ideas I need to talk to Adam about when he gets back. Now I need this please?"

    "Yeah, yeah. You just be here for me, ok?"

    "Deal, go now." She watched as he left the room. It was a big ask she knew that.

    "You sure he's the right man for the job?" Jesse asked from the position he'd taken up behind her.

    She turned to face him. "You volunteering?" She didn't know Jesse well enough to know if he could do this, she trusted Rooty with her life.

    He shook his head. "Stang No! I'm not diplomat."

    Adalia said nothing, it was clear he'd realised how foolish his question had been. The staff here was limited at best right now. She had little in the way of choices and if push came to shove there weren't a great deal of pilots out there to dive into a firefight. She needed to be careful.



    TAG @adaml83 @Sinrebirth
     
  11. galactic-vagabond422

    galactic-vagabond422 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2009
    (A combo post between myself and @Sinrebirth and @I_am_Kooky )

    IC - Tracy, Aden, Syal, Rhoen, Natalia
    Skimish

    Trip was keeping Comms open so that when she did get in range, Tracy would be able to hear what every Aden was saying.

    Slightly garbled as she got closer she heard "Look up" at that Tracy spun down and sharply to the side as she saw the explosion of a ship above her previous location. As she was spinning back round to get back to Aden, she caught his message, well most of it anyway. "I saw Rhoen just a moment ago" she looked down at her screen as Aden sidles up to her, she fell into formation just behind him. She saw most of the battle, but couldn't identify Da'mina anywhere. "Da'maina was right behind me?" she said a bit confused.

    "MOVE" she heard that clear enough and as Aden went one way, she went the opposite. Trying to split the A-9's for easier pickings. Two went after Aden, while one went after her, she swung around far enough to be able to line up and take out at least one of the A-9's behind Aden, while trying to avoid the one on her tail.

    Aden spun out and then keyed his breaks, slamming his head into the side of the cockpit. "Ow."

    He thumbed his lasers and had the satisfaction of hitting an A-9, but then saw the one on his tail was lining up a shot.

    It exploded, and Aden glimpsed Tracy and another A-9 behind her. It managed one shot, which creased the underside of her ship and narrowly missed him, before he threaded the controls and turned his ship, popping the nose up so he could fire into the guts of the A-9, which also exploded.

    Ramping his engines to full, he was pushed back into his seat and had the satisfaction of seeing lasers spear where he had just been.

    "Tracy," he called out, looking up and back. "You have one coming down at you, sixty degrees up."

    "How do I get it at that angle?" she muttered quietly, she started to bank to the side, her skills in hacking only kinda helped on the 2D plain of battle, she was still getting her head around the 3D of flying. If she made it out of this, she promised herself time in the sim if this was going to be her life now.

    As she banked to the side, she got and idea, keeping her speed a little slower than she found comfortable, she was trying to get it to fall in behind her, and slowing down might just. She was flying away from Aden, and sure enough, the A-9 fell in behind her and started shooting at her. She doubled her shields on her rear as continued her flight, turning so that she was just flying in a large loop. She tried to hit other ships as they flew in and out of her range at speed because of the battle. She thought she got one, well at least clipped its wing.

    Not speeding up, she was trying to reel in her pay in, hoping it was focused on her being an 'easy' target and not thinking to far ahead. . .like she wasn't. Hoping it would work, as she came back flying towards Aden, she began to face downward so that its lose shots were aiming away from Aden.

    "Ready Boss?" she said called out via the comm. She then went full speed, the sudden change in caused the A-9 to stop shooting to try and keep up with her. She zoomed back up in a graceful like arc, and flew in front of Aden's ship, the A-9 hot on her tail, she hopped Aden would shoot it as it came up into his range.

    Aden watched her move, grinning at Tracy's skill, conscious of how haphazard it was but grateful that it was here right now.

    He fired as Tracy perfectly setup the fighter who was pursuing her, but at the same time an A-9 slotted in behind him. "Tracy!"

    Their skirmish had led them into range of the minelayer, and they were just as suddenly painted with various targeting locks. Aden was stuck though, as the A-9 had him pinned, and Tracy had even less reaction time than Aden had beforehand.

    "Damn it." Rhoen shouted watching Syal get piled on by milelayers and fighters. Throwing all caution to the wind he closed his s-foils cutting his way through the pack like a knife through butter. He had no time to think not even to blink as adrenaline coursed through his system. He'd left Syal, he'd broken his promise. With only half his lasers operable with closed s-foils, he could only clear his way and hope that his shields held out against the blasts that came his way. His craft dived under a bit of debris. Coming up he saw the blasted hull of a Corvette turning hard he slipped through a gap sideways, the horizon completely inverting as he continued the roll. He angled the nose down just enough to corkscrew out the other side of the dead hulk. Streaming red lances flew from his wingtips as he craved his way thought the lines in a dead charge for Syal.

    Breaking through his s-foils snapped into attack formation unloading a fast barrage of fire picking off a few fighters hunting down Syal. Swooping in and taking a place by her side he moved with her to the next minelayer.

    "On your wing Dancer Lead." He said a little guilt slipping into his heart.

    Natalia on the other hand was not having such an easy time. She wasn't a ace like Aden or Rhoen, she had just the barest minimum of combat training and even less in actual fighting. However she did now systems, she knew sensors and spoofing. Though it was not as easy as it used to be she could still do it. The only problem was she couldn't both work on her plan and fly through a perilous fight.

    "Droid," She called out to her astromech, "Begin evasive maneuvers." With a confused tweet the droid took control putting the x-wing through seemingly erratic and unpredictable movements. Turning up the compensator Natalia's cockpit became a stable place unmoving even as her craft danced through space.

    Even with her droid taking over most of the flying she could only rely on the evasion protocols for so long. Her fingers flew over the datapad she had in her lap that was jacked directly into the ship's systems. With all the metal debris around there was some interference with her sensors...which was perfect. Taking some auxiliary power she sent out a sensor blast that deflected off the obstacles. Then she bounced several GA IFF signals off the floating metal, making it look like there were more GA fighters than there were actually.

    "Rogue Wing..." An authoritative voice sounded over the general channel for even the Confederates to hear. "This is Red Squadron breaking radio silence and cover to assist..."

    The ruse would only work for a moment before the pilot's eyes showed that there wasn't an extra squadron just appearing out of nowhere. Though maybe it could buy Aden time...all he needed was time. Her cockpit filled with red light alarms going off. With her compensator all the way up she hadn't felt the shake and buck of her fighter as it was pummeled by enemy craft. Her shields were gone and her armor was just holding on. A droid was no replacement for a living pilot. Taking control and turning down her compensator she began even wilder moves more unpredictable turns. She was desperate, praying that her trick worked and freed up Aden to come save her...from herself...

    The A-9's suddenly spun away from Tracy and Aden as they thought a dozen more X-wings turned up, and Aden grinned as they suddenly had the space to dodge laser fire from the minelayer. "Good work, Natalia." He felt her desperation bleating into the Force, but she had done well. "Let's get that next minelayer. Natalia, do some more of that fancy flying to draw their fire; Tracy, you will empty your torpedo magazine into the minelayer while I cover you." Aden suited action to words and turned his fighter, as the A-9's regrouped to engage 'Red Squadron'.

    Syal felt relief flood her as Rhoen, damaged but present, cleared her pursuit off. "We've got this, Dancers." Her turrets hammered at the minelayer now they were exposed, carving molten chunks out of it. They completed their pass and began to turn around, Syal shifting her turrets briefly to cover Rhoen and blow apart a Commenori TIE fighter that just drawn a bead on him. Behind the TIE was another three, their green lasers bleeding across the void.

    Gritting her teeth she turned the Twee out to avoid the TIEs, and focused on the damaged minelayer. The backdrop for their skirmish was the Corellian Dreadnought, which promptly poured heavy turbolaser into their part of the engagement - both Rhoen and Syal's fighters would shake violently from the near misses, and the Commenori TIEs veered away.

    The minelayer was listing badly, and Syal thought they had it -

    It erupted into a fireworks display as it released a complement of mines at them.

    "SHAVIT!"

    Syal hit the breaks, veering up and away, but the vomit of mines stopped Rhoen from dodging so easily -

    The Antilles woman glanced back - there wasn't a path out -

    "Rhoen don't try it!"

    But she could see a path through the mines to the minelayer.

    "Understood." Natalia replied still dancing still jinking and diving trying to avoid the fire coming in. It was difficult to keep the ruse up while trying not to die, but she could do it. Maybe not try to keep a squadron up, maybe a few, give them ghosts to chase. This was still a tall order dividing her focus. A few of the other GA fighters swooped in to clear her giving her a moment to keep the ghosts dancing. It was all defense for her even taking power away from her lasers and putting it into the shields. All she could do was dodge to keep the enemy guessing, keep her little phantoms bilpping in and out...and hope that it bought some time. Her fighter rattled taking a stiff hit thankfully her shields held out giving her the moment she needed to cut hard and dive into the debris field. Finding a wide and safe path she accelerated quickly pulling up and over hoping that her sudden move would leave her target guessing where she went. A throwing her IFF she tried to make it look like she was a bit of metal far below her current location. Though she would have to turn off her own...making her appear as a neutral ship, or at worse an unidentified one. Hopefully her own side wouldn't be fooled...hopefully.

    Rhoen was feeling the thrill of the fight coursing through his veins, time was slower for him his mind considering every move he made at lightning speed. His reflexes able to keep up. Syal kept him clear as he dived toward the minelayer spitting red bolts. A few more TIEs closed in behind him. He could feel them, see their green bolts as they came closer and closer. He knew he got a little cooked in his mad rush for Syal, a stabilizer was a little loose and his shields were having a hard time recovering. This wasn't helped by the turbolaser fire beginning to rain down from the dreadnought. Rhoen quickly veered away closing in on the damaged minelayer. He was getting a lock with one of his torpedos but right as he was about to pull the trigger his screen became filled with mines.

    He found a little pocket to hide but it left him swimming in deadly explosives.

    "Don't have much choice." Rhoen replied, accelerating into the mine field. He saw the same path she did, only it led right to the ship throwing out the mines, and firing PDLs. Though he didn't have any other option...the only way out was through. With quick snappy movements he rushed through the gaps his heart pounding with every turn, his breaths even his eyes wide open not even taking the chance to blink. He banked hard around one mine before diving below another and having to pull up before slamming into yet more. His turns and dives at speed would make a racing pilot blush only he wasn't trying to set the fastest time, he was just trying to survive.

    Ace screamed behind him but he paid it no mind, there was no moment for distractions not now. With a daring cut he closed his s-foils again just slipping past two explosives. Still in the pipe he executed high speed S-turn turning completely sideways through each bend capping it off with a barrel roll to just fit his craft through a pair of tumbling mines. It was white knuckle and he said nothing, he was one with his machine. He had no fancy connection to the force, or hyper reflexes from his heritage, all he had was training and his own instincts. Clearing the worst of the field he was nearly point blank with the Minelayer his wing taking a hard hit from the lasers. One laser was down but he wasn't using them. With a pull of the trigger he threw a torp down the gullet of the ship, breaking hard and pulling up he gave the engines everything he could to out run the explosion and make it back to Syal in one piece. He should make it...he should make it...

    TAG: @Sinrebirth @I_am_Kooky @Adalia-Durron
     
  12. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    IC Romulus, Remus, Kael, Marie, Ilona, Ethan, Adrian (combo with @Adalia-Durron, @darthbernael, @adaml83)
    Sith, Sith, and more Sith

    ‘Well, it does appear that Dad was correct in his assessment and what we felt.’ Romulus thought-said and then sighed as he watched the angry being stir up the forest, sending creatures racing toward the freighter as he cut through the trees with his deep red blade.

    Remus held up a hand, her head tilting and tracking across the trees. ‘You are being lazy Rom, or can you not feel that is not the only one there? Seems our fireworks attracted attention. Someone that thinks they’re funny or that we’re toys. So I’d say another Sith.’

    Romulus was silent as he sent his senses out, feeling what it was that had caught Rem’s attention. ‘You are right, time to disappear from senses and find a new vantage point.’

    Both slowly, carefully, withdrew their presences into themselves, admittedly not as well as they knew their Father could, but better than most. At the same time they slid slowly out of their nest Rom facing forward, eyes scanning back and forth, Rem walking as silently as he, facing backward, covering their backtrail. The sensors from the remotes tracked them and she tapped in a brief sequence of orders so that the remotes would scan for any anomaly at all and report it, no matter how small.

    As they moved they made sure to keep the downed freighter in sight so that they could assist if necessary.

    Once the freighter stopped moving on the ground, Kael slapped the quick release, grabbed his carbine and ran towards the cargo by where his explosives were. He grabbed some of his proximity mines and an air cannon designed to add a little range and not damage the explosives themselves.

    Kael set the proximity range to the outer limit of the explosives' lethal range and quickly started creating a perimeter to defend themselves.

    Marie was on the floor, she'd waited till the last minute and dropped there as the cockpit smashed, yelling for Ilona to do the same. She'd crashed before, wasn't sure she had. "You ok Ilona?" she called brushing debris off her and getting up to find half a tree between her and Ilona. "Oh, indoor plants, lovely. Ilona?"

    Ilona heard Marie but didn´t react to her words at first. Instead she was clutching her right arm, during their crash landing she had tried to stabilize herself with it and so most of the impact had rested on it, breaking the bones. She tried her best to stay as calm as she could as waves and waves of pain rocked through her body.

    Ethan appeared in the door to the cockpit a blaster in his hand, "maybe I can help." For a moment his age seemed to have gone and he stood as straight and concentrated as he had been in his days as a soldier.

    Adrian still shivered but soon realized he was unharmed, the upper side of the craft had taken the least damage and so he left his upper seat and climbed down again to see how the others were doing.

    Marie leaned over the tree and looked down at Ilona noting the direction her arm faced. "Oh, that's not good." she muttered as she turned to Ethan. "Get Adrian to get the Medkit please?" she asked as she began to climb over the foliage around them. Something roared outside. "What was that?" she muttered still climbing. "Come on, we need to get out of here and lock the door, somethings out there, a lot of somethings and they are not happy." she said feeling the rage coming at them.

    "No, take the blade," Ilona said, her face torn by the pain she was going through. "Cut the damn thing of so I won´t slow you down."

    Adrian stared at his sister, the medkit in hand, "Iloan. Are you sure? We can´t just cut your arm of."

    "We have to our pursuers will be here soon, I would slow you down with my arm," she responded, trying to fight the pain that grew stronger with every moment.

    Ethan´s eyes flew back and forth between his children. His soldier instincts that Ilona was probably right, but his heart refused to even consider this as an option.

    Marie's scowled. "No! Surely there's another way!" She idea repulsed her as in her culture there would be no replacement. "We can splint it maybe?"

    "Could cost us valuable time," Ilona said still struggling with the pain. "Do it Adrian, or do I have to do it myself."

    "Ilona please, listen to Marie," Ethan said while looking around for something to splint Ilona's arm with.

    "While we are discussing they come closer," Ilona reminded them.

    Marie could sense something dark approaching but could hear pounding on the hull. "Something's already here...."

    Ethan and Ilona exchanged a look and in his daughter's eyes Ethan saw what needed to be done, he raised his blade as Ilona held up her arm, grinding her teeth against the pain. It was over quick and the energy of the blade immediately cauterized the wounds at her stump. Ilona screamed in pain and for a moment broke to her knees. Adrian quickly knelt beside her and began tending her wound with bacta.

    Ilona did her best not to cry, from either the pain or for losing a part of herself. But she knew she could replace with a prosthetic, or even reattach the arm if they could preserve it long enough. "Thanks," she told her father and brother while the pain began to lessen, while doing her best not to look at her severed right forearm on the ground.

    Marie cringed and looked away. Ilona didn't need an audience. Moving out of the cockpit she went for the two weapons she'd brought. Her Staff and her blaster. The pounding on the hull was louder where she was and the anger she felt almost palatable. Running back to the cockpit she scanned the console to see what was working. "We need to electrify the hull!" She said kneeling down under the copilot's console. "Ideas?!!?"

    Kael had finished the initial perimeter of his proximity mines, so now he started improving it and adding layers. He kept his carbine nearby, just in case.

    Marie noted the pounding was lessening. "Kael's on this I think" she muttered, this whole exercise was not going to plan.

    "Just hope we don't end up blowing ourselves up with them." Ethan muttered as he carefully took Ilona's severed arm and placed it in the now emptied medical supply box. He shivered and tried his best to ignore the thought that this was his daughter's limb. If they got back to a civilized place soon enough they could still reattach it, if not a prosthetic would have to do.

    Marie knew they had to move, she could feel the darkness getting closer. "Guys, I know this is bad, but we need to get out of here. Something....really bad is coming." She stated, gazing out of the smashed cockpit.

    Tag: Anyone
     
  13. adaml83

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    OOC: This combo has been brought to you by myself, @Sinrebirth, @Adalia-Durron, and the letter Jay

    IC: Rooty Aran, Jay Sarkin, Adalia Durron, Senator Doe, Briana Odan, Jesse Coulson

    Rooty launched his ship handling better than it had in a few good years, a smirk on his face. Seemed Cubber had done an excellent job. He loved his midnight blue A-Wing and it felt good now she was all tuned and sharp. It didn't take him long to exit the field, the ship easily slipped in and out of moving debris and the challenge of it was exhilarating. Once out he found the ship and headed toward it opening his low-frequency comms so only the base and the ship would receive. "Unidentified craft, this is a representative of the base, I'm here to talk, let's talk." he tried to sound official, but it came off a bit rough.

    Jay was sitting in the Halmad system carefully listening in to communications channels, she detected a very weak signal, with a much stronger one and heard Rooty. She waited for now.

    The older man blinked; he hadn't expected an A-wing. That suggested they were inclined to shoot him down first, ask questions later. "I am Senator Doe, of the Quelli Sector," he said dumbly. "But you know that."

    They would have looked him up - they'd know about how he served in the Rebellion, settled down, became a local politician when the New Republic eventually took Halmad from the Empire - two years before the Bastion Accords, would you believe, nearly a dozen years after the Wraith's used the entire system as bait for Zsinj - and how he'd kept his people together during Yuuzhan Vong occupation.

    But that didn't matter now, with a new war on-going, the Imperial Remnant and Confederation closer than the GA that the Quelli Sector was a member of - save for the system which included Dathomir, which was a member of the Hapes Consortium...

    All that mattered was right here, right now.

    "I just wanted to know what your intentions are. I noticed some irregularities in the number of ships coming and going, and I've suppressed the data - if only so my home doesn't become a war zone again. I don't want a visit from either GA Chief of State nor the Confederation and Remnant. Throw in the Hapans for good measure and my world gets stomped flat."

    He paused.

    "Again."

    Listening carefully Adalia waved a hand to Briana. "Look him up, I want everything on Senator Doe," she said in a low tone before opening the comm to the private channel to Rooty. "Speed listen up. Introduce yourself, tell him no one here has a side or taken a side. We don't want too." She paused, did she lie? The truth? Where the frack was Adam when she needed him? "Tell him we're not looking to attract any attention." she closed the connection. "Yet....." she added afterward.

    Rooty
    looked at his comm. "Right." he closed it and opened to the Senator. "Senator Doe, I am retired Lt. Commander Rooty Aran - formerly of the GA, but currently with No affiliation." He was impressed by his ability to use words so formally. "Like everyone else on the base, we have no ties to either side of this war and want nothing to do with it. We don't want to attract attention either."


    Briana nodded, "On it." She managed to bring up most of the public information and even managed to find his service records with the Rebellion. She sent it to Adalia's monitor with a note, "Might help."

    Once Adalia closed the communication Briana looked at her, "Not that we want him to know, but Stealth wants to draw attention to anywhere besides where we're at since we aren't equipped to fight a standing battle...yet. Also, he told Swift, Kael...old habits, sorry, that he supports the Alliance charter, he just doesn't believe that the leaders are following it."

    She eyed Briana, wishing for all the galaxy that she'd heard that from Adam. That he'd told her his thoughts before he'd skipped out. She gave Briana a slow nod mouthing the words 'thank you' before returning to listening for the Senator’s reply.

    "Rooty Aran," Doe said, letting the name roll around his mind. He didn't know it, which was annoying as he could have traded a favour here. Somewhat out of his depth, Doe just plunged on. "I appreciate that isn't your intention, but there are no unaffiliated sides as far as I am aware. The GA, the Confederates, the Remnant, the Hapans, and the Jedi.... the Mandalorians," Doe absently wished this war wasn't so confusing. How hard was it to as for the good old days of the Rebels vs the Empire, no questions asked?

    "None of them tend to accept neutrality anymore."

    Doe paused. "I don't suppose I could ask you to go and be unaffiliated somewhere else?"

    It was a banal, silly question, but there you go.

    Adalia closed her eyes and put her head on the desk to that request. She had plans on killing Adam right now. Her comm opened again.

    "What now Addie? " Rooty hissed, he was whispering despite the fact no one but who he was talking to was listening.

    She didn't know. "Tell him we are non-violent, we're just hiding." Another lie. They seriously needed to re-evaluate this situation. Maybe this wasn't the best place to do this from. "Tell him we are unarmed aside from private craft."


    Rooty sighed, he was not good at this sort of thing. He wished for the old days when he, Jake and Jay would just blow stuff up. "Sir, we are unarmed and non-violent. We're simply hiding out till this stupid war is over, cause we don't want to shoot at our friends if that makes sense."

    Briana smiled and gave Adalia a thumbs up in reference to Rooty's last statement, it was very close to the truth. Others didn't need to know just how much they were watching and gathering information...at least once they could get everyone back together.

    Senator Doe felt a little bit of exasperation leaking from the other. There was also the barest lag, which suggested that someone was giving remote instructions.

    The Senator was at a loss. “Um, your private craft includes an assortment of Starfighter’s probably. What guarantees do I have that you won’t turn to piracy when your supplies run low? I mean, wouldn’t you rather be affiliated, quietly maybe, with the Galactic Alliance? We’re not under the direct command of the Chief of States out here, y’ know...

    Doe was making this up as he was going. “You agree to act as an, um, irregular defense unit of Halmad, and to not operate in-system against our interests, and I provide you with supplies and continue to cover up your actions...Doe blinked. “Or I can just call in the sector fleet if you won’t leave. Lots of people die, probably lots of my people, if you know about this base. Former Wraiths, maybe even some of those pilots I was told about in official GA correspondence that fled the Ocean...

    Colonel Tehanis, was it?

    Doe felt like he was playing with fire here.

    His wife will give him a resounding lecture about this.


    Adalia sat back staring. "How'd he....?" she didn't bother to finish the sentence before turning to face Jesse who had been leaning against the wall listening but was now standing with his hands on his hips.

    "Now this is sticky," he muttered.

    Adalia turned back to the comm. "Rooty, you're out now." His offer was a reasonable one and it would give them something to do and supplies if they needed, not to mention continued anonymity. She glanced at Briana, she was making this call as she opened a direct channel to Senator Doe. "Senator Doe. Your presence here is somewhat of a surprise but your offer seems to be a reasonable one. A deal I feel we should discuss face to face. I am Colonel Adalia Tehanis."


    Briana smirked and looked at Adalia, "You know despite your reputation, you're pretty good at this diplomacy stuff." She lost the smirk, "Should we tell him about the Sith on Eriadu, and give him signs on what to watch out for?" Since Adam wasn't here, it was very clear who was in command...well that and you never annoy a pregnant woman.

    Adalia considered everything. She opened to the A-Wing. "Rooty, escort our guest in." She turned to Jesse "get to the hangar. Get Cubber to put my ship and that stealth X in a corner, in the dark and put the Dawn in front of them. Hide anything new back there. He doesn't need to know everything. Go now." She ordered turning back to Briana, "I need crutches, see what you can do, please. Also clear a meeting room near the hangar, don't want to show him too much. I want you as my aide for this. Your Wraith knowledge will be valuable." She looked down at her clothes, she hardly looked the part. She got out her comlink "Jem?"

    "Yep Sis?" Her younger half brother responded immediately having been ready when Rooty headed out.

    "I need you and Emaline’s help! We're getting a visitor. Can you also find a uniform shirt? See it Adrian or Jesse have one I can toss on and get Emaline to get some sort of refreshments, water and maybe biscuits? See Briana for where to put them. Thank you."

    "On it Lead." Jem sounded official now.

    She opened another connection on her comlink. "Erbas?"

    "Whatcha need, boss?" He asked, "sitting beside Jem here." He explained so she'd not have to repeat herself.


    "Good, come to the Comms room, I need help getting around." She said thinking she was grateful she'd been able to give Jesse something else to do, his 'interest' swelled her ego but was a little too obvious.

    Jesse hesitated for a moment, he wanted to stay with her but she was right. Another thing he was seeing and liked, she was decisive and knew their best skills, he'd flown the Dawn so moving her would be easy. He let out a soft sigh of resignation before leaving to do as he'd been asked.


    Briana nodded, "On it. You might want this also." She grabbed a unit patch from her pocket and handed it to Adalia, "Wraith unit patch, might help also." She left the room quickly heading to the medbay, she entered, grabbed some crutches despite the Doc's, "Hey!" and ran out heading back to the comm center.

    Jay listened in on the signals, with garbled conversation getting a little more anxious between at her best guess the A-wing and her best guess being the base they were from. "Rooty...I'm coming." with a mischievous grin, and jumped in. It only lasted a couple of seconds, "Hey Speed need a hand?"

    TAG: @Sinrebirth

    ----
    IC: Cubber, Briana Odan

    Cubber was yelling getting his maintenance team to move all of the other ships to the back of the massive hanger space while Briana made sure the briefing room with a holotable was ready. The only ships that would be visible in the light would be the Dawn and Adam's E-wing while the rest would be in the darkened sections of the hanger which had their lights turn off.

    TAG: Noone
     
  14. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: A fun combo with @Adalia-Durron and @Sinrebirth

    IC Bernael, Renn, Count Serenno, Ebony
    Acquiring the Holocron

    Bernael had said their goodbyes and Renn was in his workshop, avoiding him at the moment. So he turned his focus back to what was truly necessary, the path ahead. He had received a message from the Count Serenno and sent a reply.

    *Count Serenno,

    I have the current Letter of Introduction I stated that I would receive and I will be there to meet with you as I promised.

    Bernael*


    He thought for a moment and realized there was one other message that needed sending. He pulled up the secure channel for Adalia and composed that one as well.

    *Adalia,

    A, now former, contact of mine on Serenno has offered to take in Kate and Kara and she has accepted his invitation. They have departed the ship and are currently in his care. I know I stated that I would return them to you but they made their own choice. Until I contact you again in the service of the Balance.

    Bernael*


    Having sent the message, he first headed to the cargo hold, where he changed into his usual attire, mask included. Second, he stopped by the workshop, knocking on the door. “I have business, and will be away from the ship for a time.”

    From inside a muffled, “Yeah, sure, fine.” could be heard.

    Bernael sighed, knowing Renn would deeply miss the young human that had traveled with them but there was nothing to be done now, the choices had been made. He slipped out of the ship and headed out toward the residence of Count Dooku.

    Arriving there, he studied the layout of the place, searching the defenses of the residence. He could have easily bypassed them but it would be simpler to slip inside when the Count returned home, in those few moments whatever shields were in place would be down.

    The yacht arrived in due course, a gaudy thing, but escorted by a pair of modern and mean looking E-wings. The ships entered orbit with much fanfare, insofar as much as the comms lit up with encrypted messages and security personnel rushing from one place to another, with a set of crimson guards deploying to the landing strip.

    The ancient Houses preferred their frivolity; thus Count Malvern’s ball in the middle of a war. The security situation could change at the whim of a co-Chief of State, after all, and a world burned to the ground at his merest suggestion.

    Dooku seethed as he analysed updated data. The Hapan’s had cut contact with the Confederates and deployed a string of Battle Dragons from Hapes to Coruscant, almost as if conveying a secret and precious package to the Core... and cutting Adumar off from the fleet preparing to retreat to Kuat as they spoke.

    If that line continued to be held, the Confederate’s would have no choice but to entirely abandon their attack, and the GA could assault from behind that like with impunity.

    Had they lost?

    Did anyone know why?

    Dooku scowled; the sooner he handed the Holocron over to either of the interested parties the better. If the Jedi did come for it, the Confederate’s couldn’t do anything about it!

    Ebony's craft, the Dark Shadow, touched down lightly. She'd done this so many times she could do it in her sleep, she didn't assume, she knew. The ships dark sleek lines somehow managed to not stand out but blend in with the surroundings by design. She wasn't 100% sure where she planned to go, but she did want to 'peruse' The Fury, and from the ground made sense to her. She knew the ship would have security all over it, she was no fool. This 'creature' had made it his mission to hide and even lose all knowledge of his existence, or at the very least his presence. She needed to assess her quarry.

    Renn had been sitting in his workshop, fingers just running over the small tools he’d made for Kara, over the droid he’d been planning on giving her, but that would never happen now. He didn’t hate Bernael, he could feel it wasn’t the vampire’s fault but that didn’t mean he wasn't happy about all that had gone on.

    However, he felt like he was done with humans in general, at least right now. Which made it odd that there was one that felt like they were interested in the ship, in the vampire, it seemed. And now he had a chance to get out some of the anger he was currently storing. He headed toward a hidden hatch on the opposite side from where he felt the human was arriving, helpful that they were coming from that direction as the weapons loading hatch would be perfect for him to slip out without them noticing.

    He shifted into a kite like animal shape before exiting the hatch, and gliding into the shadows of the nearest trees. Once the dappled light was covering him he shifted again, allowing coloration to suffuse his form. In his new, human-like guise he slipped through the trees, moving closer toward the human he’d felt, while trying to keep from letting them sense where he was.

    When he felt he was close enough, he reached out with his mind, ‘Human pest, why are you here?’

    Ebony had decided to not make herself hidden but to just be sitting somewhere near the edge of the landing platform and she'd made a sort of picnic. Siting quietly she was eating a piece of fruit all the while pretending to read a holonovel but in reality watching The Fury. It all looked very innocent to the average onlooker. Without warning she felt a strange tingle in her mind then she heard a voice. ‘Human pest, why are you here?’ She cocked her head to the side, her long black silky hair dropping forward. So whoever this was had the ability to speak to her this way, that was interesting. She concentrated. 'Hunting.' she replied simply.

    A mental bark of laughter was sent to her, ‘Hunting huh, and the one who owns this ship is your prey?’ More mental laughter, almost as if the one sending it was doubled over he was laughing so hard drifted toward her. ‘I’d wish you luck with that, but unless you find a way to gain his interest and keep it, I’d recommend returning your fee to your employer rather than cease to exist. Either way this should be fun.’

    Renn drifted further back in the trees, as this human was observing the vampire’s ship he too would observe the human.

    She smiled. 'Thank you for your advice.' she thought back. Catch his interest and keep it. That line rolled around her mind a little longer. She needed to look at that angle. She leisurely packed up her lunch and data pads and slowly returned to her ship all the while admiring the surrounding jungles.

    Once she'd packed her gear away Ebony sat in her cockpit thinking, considering and reading her data pad. There was much to consider and at the top of that list was if this mission, assignment if you will, was worth the credits being offered. Or if the one offering them would indeed care is she chose to abandon this exercise. The research she'd done told her little, there was little on this 'Ghost', but what she had found told her that she would likely come off second best. She was not a Force user, she was not gifted in any of the skills in what the galaxy considered 'higher beings' having. She was a bounty hunter, nothing more. She needed to weigh up the anger of her employer against the risks of taking this creature on.

    Renn slipped through the jungle, having changed into the form of an Serenno jungle beast. He shadowed the human female as she headed through the undergrowth. Eventually she came upon her ship and he took a perch in a nearby tree, just watching. He could sense her emotions fluctuating, which made him wonder if she was weighing her options as to whether to continue hunting the Vampire or not. As best he could, in this form, he grinned. Reaching out he sent a thought her way, ‘Not backing out now, are you? You still haven’t met your prey, so why give in now.’

    Ebony was staring at her data pad, not actually reading it just staring blankly when the voice appeared again. This time she merely closed her eyes and formulated a response. 'I do plan to meet him.'

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

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    OOC: This combo with @Sinrebirth, and @Adalia-Durron comes with a bodyguard, not sure if he's very good, but the woman with the crutches is pretty scary...

    IC: Adalia Durron, Erbas Hawcron, Rooty Aran, Jay Sarkin, Senator Doe, Briana Odan


    Adalia stood at the door nearest the meeting room, crutches holding her up now and Erbas at her side.

    "What'd you need me for?" he asked clasping his hands behind his back. "And why'd Rooty get the good gig?"

    Adalia turned to him, an eyebrow raised. "He got the 'good gig'? You think that? Did you get lessons in Diplomacy in the last ten years?"

    Erbas bit his lip. "Err...no? But neither did Rooty!" he protested.

    Adalia sighed. "And he was as uncomfortable about it as you would have been. Now please, do me a favour. Try and look threatening, like my bodyguard or something."

    The man grinned. "That I can do Boss!"

    Rooty banked to port, he was still overwhelmed as he opened the channel again. "Still can't believe you're here Jay!" He was overwhelmed by her presence.

    Jay grinned at her comm, it'd been too many years since she'd heard that voice. "Believe it Speed. Might be only two of us, but we're back!" She banked to follow him. "Who we leading in, and I know Jake's been off the radar for 14 years now, but what about Eak? Is he back?"

    Rooty was grinning, then he wasn't. "Eak's gone, Jay. He was on Kashyyyk when the GA vaped it." He'd not actually said those words and they hurt. "Kate and their daughter got out, but not their son and Eak."

    Jay felt a tightness in her chest as she swore. "Kiffin' bastards" she snarled. "So Kate's there?"

    "No, it's a long story. You Erbas, Jem, Marie, Adam, Addie and Me. You got me!" he said trying to sound Positive. "And it's a Senator Doe I think who wants to negotiate with Addie."

    Jay allowed the knowledge to sink in as she banked again to follow Rooty. "Addie, negotiate? So there is a blaster and lightsaber involved?" she asked.

    "Stang I hope not, counterproductive! But Adam’s off base, she's got no choice."

    "Ok, I know the lay of the land now. We close?"

    "Very, not said you're coming in, be prepared," Rooty explained with a smile. "You might be crash tackled."

    The Senator peered around, looking for the guides, and slowly - ponderously - moved his shuttle through asteroids and rocky detritus. It wasn't going well. "I don't suppose someone has a tow cable they can help me with?" He laughed weakly, remembering the valiant pilots at the Battle of Hoth - not that he had flown there.

    "Colonel Tehanis, is it true that you punched Colonel Kya?" The Senator thought he may as well speak as he went, to keep his mind off his panic.

    Adalia was focused, attempting to sense the incoming and she was a little confused, there were three life forms out there. She commed Rooty. "Who's with you Speed?" She asked as her comm to the Senator opened with a question. She smiled as she lifted the second device and responded. "Yes Senator, I did," she admitted.

    "I have a surprise for you Vixen, patience," Rooty answered with a grin, he knew she'd love this surprise.

    "I hope I won't be annoyed as well." she responded, "Shush now, and slow down will you, you're gonna lose the Senator."

    Briana had heard stories about Rooty, so as she was standing next to Adalia she mentioned under her breath, "You know we could set him up with a Y-wing." Just loud enough for Adalia and Erbas to hear.

    Adalia smirked and readjusted her stance on the crutches. "He'd form his own Rebellion." She quipped.

    Erbas suppressed a chuckled. "I'd pay to see that."

    At the entrance of the hangar, the Midnight blue A Wing appeared, seconds later an X Wing pull in on its starboard wing and nearly 20 seconds later the Senators shuttle appeared. All three landed as Adalia focused on the X Wing. "Jay?" she whispered.

    Erbas spun to her. "That's Jay?!?" he asked excitedly looking back to the ships.

    "I think so." Adalia said allowing a smile as all three ships landed and began their shutdowns. "Briana, make sure Cubber gets them all sorted out and get the Senator here first, I will see Jay and Rooty later. This is more important right now. Clear?"

    Briana stood before Adalia and Erbas and smiled but they could most likely see gleeful malice in her eyes, "But it would be fun to try..." then she left. She walked over to Cubber, "We have a new pilot, and I imagine both her fighter and the Senator will need to be refueled also."

    Briana then went over to stand near the landing zone and wait for the Senator to land and leave his shuttle.


    Rooty was first to disembark, beelining for the X Wing, he'd not seen Jay in 8 years, this was a moment for him.

    Jay removed her helmet and looked around. 'So this is where the Wraiths hid, not bad' she mused as she popped the canopy and stood to put her helmet on the floor. She heard a familiar voice and turned to see Rooty grinning up at her. He was a little older, but then so was she. "Well look what the mynocks dropped," she said as the ladder appeared.

    "Better than what the Rancors dispose of!" Rooty responded as she climbed down, before enveloping her in a hug. "Seriously though, you look great."

    "Wish I could say the same," Jay smirked as she hugged him back before stepping back. "This feels surreal." She commented looking around the hangar.

    "Kinda is," Rooty said looking across to Adalia. "She's over there." he pointed. "Adam's off base right now, but he shouldn't be long, she's bored and he knows it."

    Jay laughed as she linked arms with him. "Shall we?"

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  16. I_am_Kooky

    I_am_Kooky Sth Aust. Chapter Representative star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2004
    IC - Kate and Kara Leeash.
    Location - Count Malverns Home, Serreno.


    Kate lay awake as the morning sun began to illuminate the room, her daughter sound asleep wrapped in her arms. They were dressed in borrowed clothes, apparently, Claugh had a daughter once, but he didn't say any more, nor did Kate press the issue as she saw the pain in his eyes. She had gotten some sleep but the night's events played back in her head over and over again. It was so sudden like everything had been for her recently. Did she make the right choice? What was going to happen? Why? What would she do now? She had swapped one uncertain future for another. Not that any future was ever certain, a pain she was acutely aware of.

    She remembered her daughter's laughter as she spun around with her new friend. She remembered the dance with the young man, and it brought a smile back to her face, if for but a moment as she remembered Eak, and how they danced, . . .it was terrible, but still, they would laugh and spin, it was all they were good at when it came to dancing.

    She felt sadness again, but now it just made her angry, she was so sick of being sad, and upset and lost in her own mind let alone the galaxy. She knew this wasn't her, she was bright and bubbly and happy and all this misery and wallowing was just not her. "You're too hard on yourself," a ghostly voice of Eak said, as she felt the memory of her being equally frustrated at being so very pregnant with Liam. Her belly so large it was making it very difficult to deal with Kara. "You can't change what happened, you cant speed up the future, so just breathe and wait, all good things will come in time," he said as he kissed the back of her neck. "You're just old and have accepted your fate, and your not the one waiting" she sulked back at him.

    "I waited for you," he said in a patient tone that just fueled her annoyance "waited for what felt like forever, and you are certainly the goodest thing that ever happened to me" he said in a deep gentle tone as he dared to wrap his arms around her in this mood. "You're going to be okay. You are the best Mum I've ever seen, I know you will do anything to protect them. Your instincts are good, trust them, and all will turn out okay in the end." Too busy fighting to urge to slap him to say anything, she instead just nuzzled into his arms and sighed, trying to let go of her frustration. He had a way of carefully discerning what the real issue was and defusing her. Probably from trial and error more than anything else.

    "Sure?" she asked back in an uncertain tone. "More sure of that, than I am of my next breath" he whispered as he gently kissed her cheek. Leaning back in his arms a little more, she placed her hands on top of his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Only to hear Kara groan slightly in her sleep.

    Her world, her reality came back to her, as she lay in the softest bed she had ever experienced. Surrounded by the softest blanket and pillows in the large room. Holding on to her daughter, glitter still in her hair. She tried to come up with a plan, something to give her the semblance of control when she still felt she had none at all. Breakfast maybe, a tour of the house, figuring out a way to contact Adalia. Get her ship, her stuff was the other side of the galaxy, she trusted no one to fly it to her, yet she was too scared to leave the planets surface in case the war came here too. How to reconcile these two would prove interesting.

    She needed to talk to Claugh, try and work out his real intentions, see the real depths of his offer, or what was needed from her in return. She needed to understand in herself why she turned from Barnael and Renn to stay here. To a man she had never met, has zero reason to trust and who offered beyond what is reasonable for a stranger. The house, the villa even was massive. This man was clearly one of great wealth and power.

    Kara had yet to see the house. At the end of the ball when Kate came to get her, she asked after Renn. "They have already left, we are going home with Claugh" Kate offered sadly. "but, but. . .he was my friend, he would want to say goodbye to me!. . .it was you. . .YOU TOLD HIM TO STAY AWAY DIDNT YOU!" Kate could see the heartbreak on her daughters face as the tears started. "Kara, thats. . ."
    "No, You HATED HIM! He was NOTHING but nice to me and YOU told him to go!" she stamped her foot "Well . . ." she took a deep breath in "WELL HE HATED YOU TOO! AND I HATE YOU!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing off the near-empty room. Kara spun around and fell to the floor and continued crying.

    She got a few disapproving looks from strangers, but she cared not. The day had been very long, the night more so. The stimulation, the late hour, the emotions, children are still children after all and Kara would be at the very end of her ability to cope, as Kate was.

    She let Kara continue her crying, her tantrum, she didn't try to stop her and offered her no comfort other than just kneeling beside her. After a few minutes, the worst of it was over, and Kara sat up and clung to her mother instead, still sobbing deeply and uncontrollably. Kate could feel the looks she was getting, all the thoughts she didn't even need to be a mind reader to hear she just blocked them all out. She was just going to be here, focused on Kara, gently held her in her arms, giving what comfort she could, and the rest of the galaxy could just Kriff off.

    Was Kara so truly upset by Renn? probably, Kate didn't remember much about being 10, but what she did was that it was hard learning to deal with newer and more intense emotions. But Renn could also just be that final leaf that caused the house to fall. With watching her mother kill someone, and holding a wound shut. To being captured by slavers, to being dragged around military places to surviving the ground on Kashyyyk, to her bothers death to just her world ending. Kate was so proud of everything Kara has been through, and survived and handed with grace beyond her years.

    Soon the sobbing gave way to staggering breaths. Kate could feel that her dress was soaked but didn't care. She gathered up her daughter closer, and gently rocked from side to side. As Kara's breathing became more stable, Kate gently held her tighter for a moment and said with the deep affection "I love you, I am so proud of you" Kate closed her eyes and just try to radiate comfort and warmth. She felt Kara re-tear up at the words, she snuffling a little more, but soon calming again. "Do you want me to carry you?" Kate offered, to which Kara merely nodded, her face obscured in her mothers embrace. Kate shuffled slightly and lifted her daughter up in her arms as she stood herself. Kara wrapping her arms around her mother's shoulders, her face buried in her neck. Kara's legs wrapped around her mother's hips for stability, and her mother supporting her weight as she started to walk toward the exit.

    A few more glares from the few remaining people, but Kate continued on with the same air of dignity as she entered this ball, she left the room. Claugh had joined her as they walked back up the steps and out of the building. His droid butler opening the door for Kate and Kara as they climbed in. No words were spoken on the way home. The gentle humm of the vehicle and the slight snoring of Kara asleep by her side. Kate gazed out the window, watching streetlights whiz by in a slight daze as the late hour and busy day caught up with her. A part of her tried to get her to remember she was, and how to get back, but she thought it was pointless. She didn't know where to get back to, or why it would matter. Her fate now in the hands of an old gentleman she did not know. Her instincts trusted him, or maybe they trusted that there was more danger she went on with Barnael and Renn. She was still confused, and now very tired.

    She carried a sleeping Kara as Claugh guided them to their room. He pointed out what would be relevant for the night and promised to be there in the morning when they woke and were ready. He gave them the clothing, bowed and left the room. Kate gently put Kara down and awkwardly climbed out of her dress and put on the light shirt and pants offered. She gently took the dress of Kara and put her in something comfortable too. Looking around, she studied the room, the entrances and exits, the lights and paintings, she felt as if she was royalty or something, but was too tired to fight off feelings of inadequacies and just climbed into the bed with her daughter.

    Sleep overtook near-instantly but it wasn't for long. She went over the conversation with Barnael a few times, the conversation with Palla and Safira, and the one with Claugh, all her conversations with him. It was enough to keep her awake, second-guessing herself, and third guessing, and trying not to panic, She wished her mother was here, to wrap her in her arms and gently purr like she did when Kate was little and upset. She had nothing left but the intense desire to protect her daughter at all cost, and that would just have to do for now.

    TAG - No one.
     
  17. Adalia-Durron

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

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Ethan, Adrian, Ilona, Marie, Kael, Romulus and Remus.
    Crashed and fighting! - Thank you to @adaml83 @Anedon @darthbernael for this.



    As the creatures roared and started charging at the freighter from what seemed to be all directions, they started to reach the outer boundary of the improvised minefield. Suddenly explosions started going off, so if anyone wasn't aware that they were under attack, they would now.

    Kael dropped his improvised launcher back into a nearby hold and switched to his carbine and started firing at targets of opportunity. They strangely looked like some sort of odd primate... It doesn't matter, they need to die...or we will.


    Marie left Ethan to deal with Ilona. "Come on Adrian, we've got to help Kael! Something is attacking" She pulled out her blaster and ran to join the other man.

    Adrian drew his blade with his right hand and took his pistol into his left, then he followed Marie. His heart was racing in his chest, so this was it, now they would confront their attackers. Rage filled him and for a moment even drowned out his fear. These people had come to murder him and his family, they needed to pay.

    Reaching Kael, Marie asked. "What do you need?"

    Kael kept firing at targets ahead of him, "They're all around us, unless you know how to use that launcher, keep firing on vectors I'm not looking at. Oh and watch out for chunks..."

    Marie put her back to him. "Chunks?" She questioned as she began to aim at the attacking beasts. "And what the Frack is their problem?" she asked.

    Kael turned his head long enough to give her a grin, "Could be worse, could be chunks of a building." He then turned back, "I don't know but they're angry, and I wouldn't be surprised if what brought us down is responsible for whatever has been haunting us since we arrived at that apartment."

    Adrian suddenly had an idea and he turned to Marie, "Can't you use the force to get them away from us? If those Sith can influence them, maybe you can too?"

    Marie shook her head, "No! One on one maybe, but not this! I'm no Jedi!!" She was pretty sure she'd used that line in her life more than a few times. "Seems we're.." she paused as she fired. "Getting on top of this for now."

    Adrian nodded at Marie's explanation. Taking a position next to the other two he fired several short salvos at the creatures outside. "They are much more ferocious than normal predators, whoever is controlling them has utterly broken their will." This tactic disgusted him, using these poor creatures to fight for them instead of doing it themselves. But he assumed the beasts where just a distraction, here to tire and weaken them before the attackers would reveal themselves.

    "They're not vicious normally?" Marie asked moving around to take aim again. "I don't really want to kill them all!" She admitted, "Especially if they don't know what they are doing!" She pulled her weapon in switching it to stun. "The Force is life, and taking it is wrong!" she said firmly as she pointed and began to stun the beasts.

    "They might try to attack but sure wouldn't assault an armored transport or continue their attacks when several of them are dead," normally it would be enough to fire a few salvos over their heads to send them running. This wasn't natural. When Marie changed her weapon on stun Adrian scolded himself for not thinking about this before but also gave Marie and admiring look, impressed with her desire to preserve life even in a situation like this. He turned his own blaster on stun as well as he continued to shoot.


    "Guess sooner or later they will run out of monsters," Adrian speculated. "Then they will show themselves."

    "I'm not sure I want to be here when that happens!" She glanced at Kael. "What magic you got for us?"

    Kael had switched to stun when Marie mentioned that it maybe wasn't best to kill all of them, but backed off when Marie asked for if Kael had any tricks. He turned back to Marie and tossed his carbine for her to catch, "I don't know if it'll change much since only some of those proximity mines have gone off, but I can go and see what sort of non-lethal mines I have."

    "Sound?!?! Seismic?" She asked as she caught his weapon. These creatures were being driven to do what they were doing and it felt wrong to kill them. Maybe if they could be shocked out of their charge? "Electric?" She suggested as she continued to fire.

    "Is there any way to break a mental control like that?" Adrian asked, Marie in the chaos. "Maybe a single large sound, or a shock? That could help us in getting away from them".

    "Loud sounds!!" She glanced at Kael as he disappeared to find an alternative method. "Where are they coming from? Are there this many on the whole planet?!" She asked exasperated as she continued to fire knowing her weapon would either discharge or over heat eventually. She couldn't use Kael's at the same time, but when hers discharged, she had a back up at least!


    Adrian cursed as his blaster overheated and he had to drop it. "Here take mine," Ilona said handing him hers with her remaining hand. "Dad is trying to see if he can use the ships defenses to our advantage, with his eyes he is a terrible shot anyway at this point."

    Kael's torso was submerged into the cargo bay, he turned his head around, "Flash bangs? I need to dig a bit." This was the one time in many many years where he regretted not having his nonlethal weapons within easy reach. He grabbed some and started putting some into his launcher and started aiming at the creatures, "Whatever you do, don't look at the direction I'm firing."

    "As ordered!" Marie called over her shoulder. She waited for the sound of a launcher.

    Adrian and Ilona followed the instruction as well, turning away from the creatures while closing their eyes for further protection.

    Kael started firing the air-burst flash bangs from his launcher with the others hearing the now-familiar noise of his air-powered launcher going off in the direction of a group of those things.

    Marie turned away and ducked her head, hoping she'd not be affected as she awaited Kael's confirmation (she hoped) that it worked.

    The Malek siblings sat next to each other, praying that their plan would work. Ilona placed her remaining hand on her brothers shoulder to hopefully calm him down a bit.

    Kael put his head behind cover right before the first flash went off, even with ear protection the bang was pretty loud, all things considered, maybe other people would notice the noises and find them.

    The sound was more than she'd expected and suddenly Marie couldn't hear anything. The pain was intense and she dropped the weapons putting her hands to her ears as she cried out. Her right hand was wet suddenly and she looked at it to find blood and nothing but silence around her and a screaming pain in her ears.

    "Silence, that means..." Adrian said slowly, "they are gone, seems our trick worked." He gave Marie and Kael a smile but them he saw Ilona, with only one hand she hand only been able to protect one of her ears and now blood came from the other.

    "Gods, that hurts" she muttered weakly, clearly fighting with the pain.

    Being telepaths was often a distinct advantage in a battle and let Romulus and Remus use acoustic devices over their ears to filter out the more noisome sounds of a battle. That and being a distance far enough from the affect area of devices going off that such things did not affect their sight.

    ‘Pretty fireworks.’ Remus said-thought wryly, as she adjusted her observation goggles to filter out the bright flashes from the devices the defending group were setting off.

    Enough to awaken a rancor;’ Romulus replied. ‘and bring down the full might of the Eriaduan Defense Forces once such is noticed by the defense satellites.'

    Remus kept her passive observation of the area going, searching for the other Sith, while her eyes scanned for the next hide that could keep them camouflaged while observing and being prepared when the feinted attack by the Sith wound down and the true attack began.



    Tag @Sinrebirth


     
  18. The Real Kyp Durron

    The Real Kyp Durron Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    May 6, 2018
    Ic Corran Horn, Mirax Horn, Kyp Durron
    Out of Hyperspace and In bound. Gratitude to @Corellian_Outrider



    Three days. It took three days in hyperspace to get to their first destination. Kyp had induced a hibernation trance and Sparks now used the correct sound to bring him out of it. Waking he looked around and saw they were still in hyperspace. "We near?" he asked stretching slightly. Sparks responded with a message on the screen before him. "One minute huh? Could have given me more warning." He complained as he sat up and brought up the HUD. He smiled because he liked this technology and saw there was only 30 seconds to go. "Ready when you are buddy." Spark beeped a positive answer.

    The counter reached zero and the X-Wing smoothly reverted to real space. Checking the scopes and sensors he noted the Pulse Skate had appeared close beside. Kyp hailed them. "Oh, you made it.” He quipped glancing at the Skate with a good deal of amusement.

    Over the comm came Mirax's voice. "You doubted that we would turn up?"

    "Or he is easily surprised." Corran added then more directed to Kyp. "Good to see you too."

    "It's an older ship." he shrugged with a smirk. "As always. What's the plan, this is your territory.” He chose to not use her name.

    "We land, resupply... check out the merchandise." Mirax responded. "Simple."

    "Merchandise?" Kyp questioned as he followed the flight path the Pulsar Skate was carving. "What do we need?" He was more than curious.

    "Something old... something new... something borrowed... something blue.... and a hex-cred in her shoe" Mirax sing song softly over the comm.

    Kyp looked to the Skate before responding. “No. no. NO!………That’s a negative! She will not like that at all. No fuss! Remember?” He was imagining her reaction to such traditional things.

    "It's tradition. And it's not a fuss if one is being thoughtful."

    “What you call thoughtful.” He paused but there was no other way to say it. “She won’t.” Adalia was not a fussy person. Fashion was of little importance as was traditional acts. She'd never really placed much importance on them choosing to wear a uniform or simple garment. A slave to tradition or fashion she was not.

    "Friends know each other so quit your worrying." Mirax assured him. "Just follow us in and I'll arrange a place for us to land."

    He groaned to himself. He didn’t want to argue with her but he was sure Addie would be more than hesitant regarding Mirax’s plans. “Your call then and you can take the heat.” He told her. “Following in.”




    Tag @Sinrebirth @Adalia-Durron
     
  19. adaml83

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    OOC: This strangely pronounced combo on Adumar is brought to you buy @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Sinrebirth, myself and Corraidhin Inc.

    IC: Trec ke Mattino, Adam Lyons, Kirney Slane, Loriana Starskimmer, Supreme Commander Rogriss

    Trec quietly walked up to Supreme Commander Rogriss and handed him information about an attack on the head of one of Eriadu's most important families, along with a request to volunteer his squadron to assist.

    He spoke quietly, "Given that they're new allies, this might be a good idea..."

    Rogriss grumpily nodded. Already we're rushing to assist a new member before they offer us anything... and the Eriaduan's asked for a lot when they joined up. He regarded the tactical display, the rapidly emptying Senate chamber, and the lack of Phennir and panicked fur of Babo. "... the sooner the better. I suspect we'll need those Eriaduan ships sooner rather than later."

    He lifted a finger in thought. "Adam's connections to Tehanis and Durron may become even more key. If the Confederation is to get the Jedi on-side, you'll need to make sure that you secure as much of their network as possible, as you go."

    "But don't risk them. A capable commando squadron is exactly what we need right now... especially if we intend to target Solo, when he crops up, or even Kya and Veila," he said, referring to the few Force-users still serving the GA.

    ----

    Adam didn't like watching the battle around Coruscant, he knew that there would be good people who were following bad leadership. That and the next time he spoke to Wedge, he didn't want to say that he potentially saw a live feed view of his eldest daughter's death.

    So he walked over to where Loriana and Kirney were talking. He spoke Kirney first, "I think we should probably leave fairly soon, who knows what Addie's up to," he looked at Loriana also, "but I also want to see if the Adumari is able to help our friends on Eriadu. The final thing is, Loriana, what do you want to do?"

    Loriana pondered for a long moment. "I'll go where you think will do the most good."

    Loriana continued, "I wouldn't mind serving in the pilot ranks again, but what I really want is to help tip the scales that will end the war faster, minimize as much as possible any more innocent loss."


    Adam nodded, "It won't necessarily be conventional, but I agree on that point." Getting the war done in as soon as a safe way as possible was important, "I think we almost need to do what we can to isolate Jacen so we can find out who the hardcore followers are. That and I'm currently planning on going after the two ships that bombarded Taris."

    Ooh, Loriana thought, that would definitely be right in the midst of the action... She looked at Kirney to see if she thought going after the attackers of Taris was a good strategy to ally with.

    Kirney gave Loriana a small smile, "It's up to you, though I'll do my best to feed you the information."

    Loriana smiled and then made a decisive nod. "I'd like to join the Taris endeavor, then. RubiJay is eager to get back in the ... thick of things again."

    Adam smiled, "Great, I'm glad to have you, do you have any preference to what you'd like to fly?" He paused, "It's a weird place to ask that question, we can go and ask at Corriadhin later tomorrow...personally I'd also like to be mission-qualified with the modified TIE Defenders they fly here."

    Kirney just shook her head and smiled, "At least you still have your love of flying..."

    Adam chuckled, "That I do, though I also think we should see what the Adumari are doing, here's hoping an energetic, young officer is getting what he wants."

    Loriana said, "I'd like an XJ-wing ... it's what I know best. A modified TIE defender ... that sounds interesting? How does it match up with the typical TIE and where does it diverge?"

    Adam shrugged, "I don't know, but I'd like to find out. That said it's typically a little bit better in most usual areas, though the cockpit elements are a good bit better." Adam looked in the direction of Trec and Rogriss, then back to Kirney and Loriana, “Maybe we should join them…” and nodded in their direction.

    Trec nodded at the Supreme Commander's analysis, "Yes sir, though it is a pretty long flight, we might need some unobtrusive ship to carry us..."

    Adam was walking up to the two of them and heard the mention of a small carrier and smiled. He kept his voice low, "I seem to recall that there were a couple of Quasar Fire-class Cruisers in what almost looked like drydock. They could be useful..." he motioned towards Trec, "Since they're needed on Eriadu, and I'd be greatly obliged if you did, he could take one." and then motioned towards himself, "I'm also needed back at our base, I feel I'm going to be needed there soon. You know how Adalia can be knowing her reputation..."

    Trec left soon after with his squadron onboard the Warrior to Eriadu to assist new allies, with both the Perator’s and Supreme Commander Rogriss’s permission. Not too long after, Kirney left with her passenger back to Corellia. Meanwhile, Adam had received a message from Corraidhin, training materials for the modified fighters would be on the other Quasar Fire-class Cruiser, Ranger. He then encouraged Loriana to board the Ranger, and he followed not long after, with the desire to get mission-qualified on the TIE Defender.


    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  20. adaml83

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    Meanwhile...elsewhere on Adumar

    An anonymous worker for Corraidhin Inc. received a list of fighters on Hawkbat Base that would need to have an upgraded version of their fighters readied into one of the Quasar Fire-class Cruisers.

    Two humans, one a male in his late 50s, the other a female in her late 30s, were talking to each other about very recent events on Adumar, and the man spoke up first, "Zindra, what are they up to?"

    Zindra merely shook her head, "Looks like the young ke Mattino managed to convince Rogriss to allow him to strike at enemies around Eriadu, some sort of pirate problem, and has been given one of those cruisers, the Warrior, to take his squadron there. He and Adam managed to allow them to take the other cruiser, the Ranger, to their base along with the fighters we're giving them."

    The older man shook his head, "How he managed to get that out of the Adumari..."

    "Adam gave them footage of Taris."

    "Ahh...he still acts like a Wraith from time to time..."

    "The sheer propaganda with footage like that will help with more orders of our fighters, you know."

    "True..." but the man still thought, This is all a little more improvisational than it should be...

    TAG: @Sinrebirth, Noone
     
  21. Adalia-Durron

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

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Briana, Senator Doe, Rooty, Jay Sarkin, Erbas. Adalia
    Hawkbat Base, meeting Room.



    Briana smiled at Rooty and Jay, "Aww and I had money on you tackling him... I'm sure you two would like to catch up, just head some more into the hanger to see some of what we have back there."

    She then turned a charming, 'diplomatic' smile towards the Senator, "If you wouldn't mind if you head this way," Briana gestured towards the hallway where Adalia was standing, "we have a room with a holotable ready for you since I believe we have some footage that the people in your area that you'd be interested in."


    During the three-way interplay, the Senator smiled politely, allowing himself to be led forward and then directed onwards. He glanced at the cavernous base. "This takes me back to the Rebellion," he muttered slightly, and then moulded his face into his broadest smile. "Colonel Tehanis, a pleasure." He held his hand out to her.

    "Your charming colleague indicated that you have something for me?"


    Adalia watched the groups, and was pleased when Jay and Rooty headed toward the quarters end of the base. She'd greet Jay later, right now she was facing an older man with his hand extended. She looked down at her crutches. "I'd love to shake your hand Senator, but as you can see I've managed to do myself an injury." she gave her best coy smile. "I do have things of interest for you and some refreshments." She moved to the side. "Please, follow Briana, we will be along as soon as I master these blastard things."

    Erbas stepped up behind her. "I'll catch you Boss if you fail to do that."

    Another handover, and Adalia did indeed looked injured. "That looks painful, Colonel. I hope that Colonel Kya wasn't responsible." Doe looked for Briana, keeping that smile on his face.

    Briana nodded, "It's not far, it's the first briefing room here on the left." She indicated the room, "I didn't want the Colonel to have to go very far if I could help it."

    She chuckled. "No, no, just my own clumsy feet. I should be good by morning I hope. Only temporary." She was doing well on them and soon they were in the room. "Close the door please Erbas." She turned around to face the Senator. "As you can see, we are defenseless and I am certainly not in any condition to take on either side of this war." She was grateful the over sized shirt she wore covered her stomach well, she wasn't sure if it was Adrian's or Jesse's but it didn't matter, it covered her secret.

    "Defenceless is relative; even personal starfighters can terrorize a world," Doe pointed out. "Especially in the hands of elites. Similarly, if I am to cover for you, then I will be a traitor, and Colonel Solo and Admiral Niathal are not fans of those."

    "Especially Colonel Solo," Doe said, dourly, looking for a cup of any hot beverage. "Merely refusing to be on his side is enough to make you an enemy." The Senator narrowed his eyes. "The best we can do is feign loyalty and try to do nothing that would draw attention."

    "Do you intend to wait out the war, Colonel Tehanis?" Doe paused. "Before I re-iterate my offer I need to know what you intend. Are more coming? Are you going to other places? Do you intend to sit here for however long it takes for someone to win?"

    The war had only lasted months so far. Much of the militaries of the Confederation and Galactic Alliance had been destroyed... the hostilities could carry on, in a muted fashion, for years - and even with half of their armed forces lost, they still had enough strength to pound Halmad into dust.

    Briana cleared her throat, "Senator, I believe that you tend to favor a certain kind of tea, don't you? I'll see what I can do to get that brewed up." She entered something into her comm unit to get someone in the kitchen staff to brew some tea, along with other refreshments. "It should be ready in a bit, in the meantime, would you like to see footage of what we've gathered from Taris? Or would you like to know why a member, two members actually, of a GA Intelligence unit is participating with a group like this?"

    Adalia spoke quietly "I'd like you to see this first before I answer any questions." Briana was taking the lead with the vision and she wanted him to see it before she began to negotiate. She could hope Adam would be back in the next five minutes, but that was clutching at very distant straws. She needed a bit of time to consider his questions and the best way to answer them without making up complete lies.

    Doe seemed cautious. "Holos can be manufactured, but I am curious, I must admit. Especially about those GA Intelligence officers... we all know GA Intelligence hates Jacen and his GAG, after all."

    Briana's smile deepened, "Well we did keep the full raw footage, and we have been providing that to everyone we've shown the footage to."

    Adalia gave Briana a brief nod. "Roll it when you're ready please." She said readjusting her balance on her crutches.

    Erbas leaned closer "You ok?" he whispered.

    "Fine, awkward but fine."

    "Don't fall, not explaining that one to him." Erbas stated with a raised eyebrow.

    She gave a half smile. "You won't have too, I will. Shush."

    Briana hit the play button, and waited to see everyone's reactions, particularly the Senator's.

    Adalia hadn't actually seen the vision yet, she'd been there, but not. It was still coming back to her but she was interested to see the lengths Aden was going to when it came to her.

    The Senator blinked, watching Taris burning with tears in his eyes. “I appreciate that this is bad,” he said carefully. “But Kashyyyk was bad, and this isn’t as bad as that.” Doe spoke carefully. “The Halla sector left, sure, but most systems are now too scared to leave the GA at all.”

    Adalia's heart twisted in her chest, she'd been the cause of this and that not only hurt badly but made her feel ill. The Senators words brought her back to reality. She turned to face him awkwardly on her crutches. "You want to live in fear? Cause that's what the Empire did." There was more passion behind her words than she'd expected to release.

    Briana also turned towards the Senator, "I also feel obliged to mention this since Adam isn't here and as Adalia probably knows I'd never hear the end of it, that those two ships that we've identified as the Glorious and the Courageous, are considered marked. I suspect you know what that means..."

    Senator Doe snorted. "My sector borders with the Imperial Remnant. To the north is the Corporate Sector. To the east is Serenno and the Lords there." He shook his head. "I already live with fear." Doe wagged a finger at Adalia.

    Briana also turned towards the Senator, "I also feel obliged to mention this since Adam isn't here and as Adalia probably knows I'd never hear the end of it, that those two ships that we've identified as the Glorious and the Courageous, are considered marked. I suspect you know what that means..."

    "I know, I know," his finger turned to her, again that old man wagging again. "But you're peddling more fear, not hope." Doe held out a datapad, slowly pulling it free to indicate it wasn't a weapon. "The Hapans just pulled out the war. Without them, the Confederation is going to have to abandon it's Core offensive. The Galactic Alliance is about to start winning the war again unless you start peddling hope."

    He spoke the truth. Even with Eriadu on-board, the Confederation didn't have the numbers to attack the GA and defend against a possible Hapan assault. Without the need to defend the Core, the GA would strike back, and hard. Jacen Solo and Cha Niathal and Aden Kya and Tahiri Veila would make sure of it.

    Doe sat back and folded his arms. "I want nothing to do with this holo."

    Adalia rolled her eyes. "Nothing like playing Bobber Bird." She muttered. "You can only do that for so long you know. Eventually you get noticed and that's when it gets messy."

    Briana considered the Senator's statements along with Adalia's and she looked back at him, gave him a mocking smile, and wagged her finger at him, "You're right about the GA being back to winning the war. The thing is, they were always on the winning side, just with the resources they have at hand. Sure the Confederation has a lot of resources, but they're spread out, so the GA can fight them in detail."

    She then thought a moment and tried to get herself into her memory of how Adam thought she then spoke, "The key is finding good leadership, and that's where your hope will be. If you can find something close to the leadership style of the Rebel Alliance, the early New Republic, then you'll find hope."


    Doe grinned. "Is Colonel Tehanis offering, Briana?"

    He turned to her, and smiled slightly. "Does my little system contain the beginnings of a grand coalition against Solo and Niathal? The spark of resistance, perhaps?"

    Adalia spun to the Senator, her green eyes wide. "Me? You don't know me very well Senator." She turned and shook her head, "If you did you'd know I am not the brains behind very much at all, I'm the big guns." She moved to a nearby chair and awkwardly sat down handing her crutches to Erbas who assisted her. "And as you can clearly see, I'm not even much of that right now. I don't believe your system by itself is, but it could very well be part of something much bigger." she expanded her arms which caused the shirt to ride up slightly. Pulling it back down and out to cover her stomach she continued on hoping he'd not noticed. "Adam.......Colonel Lyons is currently in the process of finding more......." she paused to find the right words, "Support to our coalition. At this point I personally cannot pinpoint leadership or one leader, but I do know it's not me." She smoothed the front of the shirt slightly attempting to keep the man's gaze.

    Doe held her gaze for a spell, and then slid away. She had him. "So, what of my proposal? I supply you, you make sure your proposals don't interfere with my star system? I list you as an..." he shrugged. "Asset drawn from local loyalists to the Galactic Alliance."

    The Senator grinned. "But the Galactic Alliance that we all serve - the true one. Not the distorted one that Solo and even Niathal are creating." He shrugged again; he shrugged a lot. "Your mission, Galactic Alliance Colonel Tehanis, would be to find that leader."

    He stood, indicating the holoproj with his eyebrows. "I want nothing to do with this; I want a future, not recriminations about the past. We forgave the Empire, even the damn Yuuzhan Vong."

    Adalia gave her head a slight shake as she muttered. "Bobber Bird." again. Drawing a deep breath she let it out slowly. "We are looking to consolidate our forces." She indicated the Holoprojector. "That is part of it, you are not the only one to have seen it so far. Hoping those who see it will see there is another way." She turned to Erbas and reached for her crutches before proceeding to stand. "Forgiveness is a word, nothing more Senator Doe." She leveled her gaze. "The reasons and mentality behind an act concern me more. With that in mind, know I personally have not forgiven the Yuuzhan Vong, or even the Empire to a certain degree. I cannot and will not accept that 'domination and control' are good reasons to commit crimes." She moved slightly adjusting her stance. "We will be searching for leadership of course and so long as we can base ourselves here I accept your offer of supplies. We, at this stage will not be acting. Not yet. But rest assured, when we find a path and a target we will act. I don't expect it to be in this system though." She said the last part in a firm but even voice, she needed him to know they very much could be a major threat if antagonized. "Right now we request you keep our presence to yourself and respect our space and we will respect yours, for now." Adalia tilted her head to the side. "And you might want to consider your allegiances, as when the time comes, and it will come, you will need to know which way you plan to jump."

    Briana pulled out a piece of flimsi, quietly wrote one word on it, folded it up, and handed it to Erbas, then looked at Adalia and quietly said, "Later..."

    The older woman gave a single nod before turning back to the Senator. "What say you?"

    The Senator nodded. “I know what way I’ll jump.” He stood, brushing down his clothes.

    “With the True Galactic Alliance; not whatever Solo is making.” Doe shrugged. “But I’ll make sure you have the supplies until you find that leader.”

    He snorted. “Still think it’s you, Colonel Tehanis.” Doe smirked.

    "Will do my best, and for security's sake I'd prefer supplies were collected rather than delivered." She moved forward on her crutches a bit. "And I appreciate your vote of confidence, misguided as it is." She extended her hand as she rested her weight on the crutch. "We have an agreement?"


    Doe nodded, and held out his hand taking hers. “Understood, Colonel Tehanis. May the Force be with you, and your squadron.”


    TAG @Sinrebirth @adaml83

     
  22. I_am_Kooky

    I_am_Kooky Sth Aust. Chapter Representative star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2004
    (A combo post between myself and @Sinrebirth and @galactic-vagabond422 )

    IC - Tracy, Aden, Syal, Rhoen, Natalia
    Skimish


    "Yes Sir" Tracy automatically responded. "Trip and Ruby, we got this?" She heard his response from Trip but didn't have time to read it on the display as she weaved in and out of mines, and dodging fire. She only had the two torps left and was trusting Trip to work out the best location to dump them. She veered widely to the right to avoid an A-9 shotting directly at her, she got a few shots back at it but missed it for the most part. Her shields took a good pounding.

    She was starting to feel the fatigue, setting in, and with that fear to try and offset it, she really didn't want to end up dead. But this battle was starting to feel un-winnable, . . .or unsurvivable. . .she wasn't sure which and she didn't like either option. She had a life she wanted to live, kids, family, a less life-threating job, maybe she would become an accountant or something. Her ship banked sharply to the left, avoiding a mine and bring her back to the focus she needed.

    A few beeps and Trip had the trajectory marked out for her to follow, swooping down and avoiding or shooting whatever was in her way, she managed to send off the too torps with Trips help. As she flew out of there as fast as the ship could take her, she could see the bursts of light reflected off her cockpit as they exploded, giving her a warm feeling of satisfaction. Another explosion, but this one was closer than she was expecting, it blinded her for a moment. But that was all it took as a mine took out her lower right wing and engine. Trip squealed in panic as Tracy was blinking fast, desperately trying to see where she was going pulled straight up and headed away.

    "Boss, that hurt!" she called out to Aden, hoping he was near enough to hear that, or maybe not. Still, a bit blinded her vision just on the annoying side of fuzzy still, she wasn't quite sure where she was at the moment, as she tried to stabilise her ship. "Trip lower power to engine 2 and put it in the shields, that should balance us out until we can come up with something better" Now she really just wanted to go home.


    Rhoen's cockpit lit up and his craft rattled as the minelayer behind him detonated. His instruments lit up flashing red as many of his systems started to go down. Soon the fireball caught up to him for a moment and nearly engulfed his shieldless X-wing. Either through blind luck or incredible skill he was still flying, with a damaged cannon and more than a few overheated systems. Taking a few breaths he formed up next to Syal sweat starting to run down his face.

    "See, I'm fine...a little cooked but fine..." He said trying to assuage her fears, to calm her down. "What's it looking like?" He asked, looking around the battlefield hoping that they had made some dent some change in the situation.

    Natalia kept close to Aden assisting where she could and doing what she could to keep the enemy distracted.

    Aden slewed across the lane of fire and opened up with everything he had left. The exploding minelayer that Syal and Rhoen had thrown themselves at caused a chain-reaction of mines, throwing the Confederation fighters in disarray, and when the last minelayer went up thanks to the efforts of Aden, Natalia and Tracy, they had no reason to be here anymore.

    "Pull out; we're done here. Blackmoon Squadron; Rogue Squadron, we're about to micro-jump out. Wraiths; Dancers, make your own way back to Coruscant -"

    He took down an isolated A-9 and for a moment they were free from the fighters - which meant the big Corellian Dreadnought had a perfect shot where there would be no friendly casualties. Aden grimaced. "Jump now!" Aden hung back a second, to make sure no hyperdrives gave out; he would be the last pilot to jump out.

    It gave him extra seconds to worry about the missing pilots.

    And to watch the Confederation armada begin to disperse in fifty different directions.

    Aden had never seen a formation like it.

    Had something happened?

    He refocused, watching for his pilots. As soon as the Wraiths and Dancers escaped, the Blackmoon's would, and finally the Rogues. Aden held his breath.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth and @galactic-vagabond422
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2020
  23. The Real Kyp Durron

    The Real Kyp Durron Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    May 6, 2018
    Ic Corran Horn, Mirax Horn, Kyp Durron - Gratitude to Corellian Outrider.
    Ord Mantel - Shopping District.


    The group berthed their craft and now entered the commercial sector of the Ord Mantel. “Still think this is a bad idea.” Kyp muttered quietly to Corran as Mirax seemingly surged ahead of them. “She’s not a frilly fussy woman.”

    "Our hearts are in the right place." Corran responded quietly. "Besides, think of this as a benefit to you."

    "Yeah..." Mirax turned from the wares at one stall glance back to Kyp. "I'm surprised you didn't remind him of how stubborn Corellians are."

    "How is pissing her off going to benefit me?" He asked frustrated. "She's just as stubborn you know."

    Mirax spoke to the vendor in their native tongue and they opened a display case and pulled out an item for her to inspect. Mirax held a gemstone encrusted necklace up to the light. "How often have you given her a surprise? A gift? And no, the child she is carrying does not count."

    He sighed. "She hates gifts. She says they make her uncomfortable. Look. I know you mean well and are only trying to help. I've known her 10 standard years and I think I know her better." He leaned forward to look at what Mirax was holding. "That is not her."

    "Maybe you haven't given the right ones. Why not a new ship?" Mirax held the necklace to her own neck. "How is this for me?"

    "New Ship?! The Crystal Dawn is with her and it just cost me a fortune to get it to her! She had it fully refitted." Kyp was getting exasperated now. "You know she's rich right?"

    "You aren't exactly forthcoming with the details. Was it a gift or not?" Mirax sighed. She still held the necklace to her neck and Kyp obviously missed the question. "Corran?"

    Corran gaze shifted between the necklace and her eyes several times. "I don't know about the design..."

    Kyp looked back at Mirax. "Of course it wasn't a gift! Getting it back to her. That was the gift!" He frowned. "It's very …….ornate?" He said looking at the necklace. "Gaudy even."

    The vendor's eyes widened then jabbered something of assurance and held up three fingers. Mirax lightly smiled and responded in kind, carefully handing the necklace back. The vendor held up two fingers and Mirax paused to consider.

    Corran took Kyp's arm and lead him a step back while his wife bartered over the piece. "Speaking of jewellery, do you have a ring for the wedding?"

    “Ring? Gave her one.” He pulled his arm free. Kyp knew Adalia was not going to like the fact he was surprising her by turning up. Add whatever Mirax had planned could make it worse. “Why does she need another?” Truth was he was not familiar with all that was entailed.

    Corran shook his head, he couldn't believe… well, maybe he can believe that Kyp is a bit clueless about such customs. "What were you going to do when they ask for the rings to bind you both as life mates?"

    He frowned. He'd not thought that far ahead. "If you hadn't noticed we're in the middle of a war. What I planned to say was the last thing on my mind." He sighed and ran hand fingers through his graying hair. "Getting too old for this...." he murmured with a shake of his head. "Ok, tell me what I need to do."

    "What Mirax suggested at the start is for the Bride. To bring luck and prosperity and ward off slighted former suitors… but Addie doesn't strike me as the superstitious type." Corran cupped his chin. He watched as Mirax finished her purchase. "For the ceremony, you both need rings in which you both exchange along with the vows."

    "I've heard the rhyme she quoted coming in. You're dead right about Addie though. There is no way she'd buy into superstition." Kyp turned to look around. "So I get her another ring?" He frowned and turned back to Corran. "And she gets one for me? She's stuck and grounded. That is not going to happen." He held his hand up. "She gave me her father’s ring and I suspect that's all she's got." He knew well enough if he out did her by turning up with a ring and she had nothing it would end badly.

    Mirax joined them, catching the tail end of what Kyp was saying. "You can't go in there without one. I think I know a place that might have what you need, I'll take you there." They went a few blocks down to one of the stores. This one was more fitting that what they found at the markets. "We'll find something inside… and take your time to see one that connects with you."

    "Why do I feel like I'm not going to enjoy this?"



    Tag @Sinrebirth - @Corellian_Outrider
     
  24. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Aden Kya
    Bugging out, Coruscant, Corusca Sector, Core

    The GA squadrons fled back to Coruscant, to see the Galactic Alliance armada positioned. Admiral Niathal was immediately on the comms. "Rogue Wing, report to the Mawrunner, Second Fleet. I'll meet you there." Sure enough, a shuttle departed the Ocean, flagship of the Third Fleet, even as the Anakin Solo headed to the edge of the system.

    Aden frowned, and cast his senses to see what was going on. He couldn't sense Jacen... but someone else. He did however toggle the comms to the shuttle. "Admiral Niathal, we took out the minelayers but the Confederation withdrew. Did something happen?"

    "Hapes has cut off all contact with the galaxy, it seems. The Confederation seems to think that means something and they've withdrawn to Kuat to defend their gains. Oh, and Eriadu joined the Confederation."

    "That's nice, but really not relevant right now. My pilots need rest. I insist upon it. Colonel Solo will be annoyed if I can't keep my pilots sane."

    "Fine," Niathal said, grumpily. "I'll see you."

    "No, you won't," Aden said. "I need to rest too." He put some durasteel into this voice. "We just performed a small miracle, with heavy casualties. My men and women need to be given a chance to recover and recoup."

    "You have six hours, Colonel Kya, and the rest of Rogue Wing will have twelve. Niathal out."

    Aden sighed, part of his mind connecting that he used to have an Eriaduan pilot in his squadrons - Adrian Malek - so perhaps he needed to connect the dots there. Instead though, his cheeks went red with embarrasment.

    "Oops."

    He'd just argued with Admiral Niathal over an open channel.

    Natalia, Rhoen, Tracy and Syal, and all the other pilots of Rogue Wing, would have heard him. Couldn't be helped.

    As shuttles drifted up from the frigate Mawrunner to assist damaged ships and to tractor X-wings such as Rhoen's to the capital ship, Aden felt exhaustion seize him. But they had done it.

    The not-quite-three squadrons were welcomed to the hangar bay of the Mawrunner with cheers, and pilots were promptly taken from their ships by stretcher if need be. Aden looked for Natalia in the stream of orange pilots and blue techs; Syal looked for Rhoen in it all, her Sullustan pilot and her sharing a hug. Aden spied Vua, who nodded and Aden glared at him; he turned away to look for Tracy.

    Da'mina was missing.

    With a sigh, Aden caught the eye of Lensi, but couldn't see Saz, the Blackmoon leader, and he sighed. He'd lost a lot of pilots today, but Coruscant was safe. He saw Natalia, and tapped her on the shoulder with the Force across the busy hangar - Syal found Rhoen in the morass and rushed over to hug him, and she planted a kiss on his cheek.

    Niathal took up residence in the ready room of the Mawrunner, and drew up plans for the counter-offensive... and to punish Eriadu for swapping sides at this critical juncture.

    TAG: @I_am_Kooky, @galactic_vagabond422 (twice)
    ---
    IC: Senator Doe

    Departing the asteroid base, Halmad, Quelli Sector, Outer Rim

    He was happy with that meeting, and had no issues going forward with the agreement he had with Adalia Tehanis and her team. He was sure they'd do their best, but Doe would also help to keep them hidden from whatever zealots he had in the Halmad military; Niathal and Solo had performed a lot of crew rotations since they were installed as co-Chiefs of State, after all.

    So while Kyp and Corran headed to Orr Mantell, Doe simply focused on his mission ahead, on diverting stockpiles he'd hidden for the past few years to places where Adalia and her comrades could pick them up. Doe pulled up the report Coruscant had sent around about the pilots who had fled, and those who were suspected to have joined Colonel Tehanis.

    Rooty Aran, Jay Sarkin, Erbas Hawcron, Briana Odan, Adam Lyons, Adrian Malek, Ilona Malek, Loriana Starskimmer, Marie Firestone...

    There was truly nothing to it; just idle curiosity.

    Simple.

    He had fought in a Rebellion before after all.

    Carefully, he encrypted the GA message and sent it to Colonel Tehanis. She would at very least want to see what photo they had used for her ‘Most Wanted’ poster.

    TAG: @adaml83, @Adalia-Durron, @The Real Kyp Durron, @Corellian_Outrider
    ---
    IC: Arek Garonnin

    Jungles, Eriadu, Seswenna Sector, Outer Rim

    Their resistance shifted from amusing to irritating very quickly. When the flashbang went off, Irek's mind was briefly caught up with his creature army, and he was stunned, releasing his hold on them. So while they fled, Irek recoiled, holding his hands to his eyes though his sight was unimpeded. He lashed out in the Force, flattening the trees around him and lighting up where he was in the Force.

    Of course, Romulus and Remus would detect that, as much as the other Force sensitives among Ethan, Adrian, Ilona, Marie and Kael would.

    Very dramatic.

    But there were two other Sith out there, the Umbaran twins, who were hoping Irek would flush out their foes, real and imagined. They began to fill the area with an emptiness, using their own specific power to create a blank spot in the Force. They were cautious to stay entirely out of notice of technology, employing blades only, because they preferred that anyway.

    Which was good, because the Eriaduan's had detected the weapons fire and anyone with a sensor would notice a gunboat was en route from the local spaceport to look into what was going on.

    TAG: @adaml83, @Adalia-Durron, @Anedon, @darthbernael
    ---
    IC: Admiral Babo

    Palace, Cartann, Adumar, Wild Space

    The event came to a rapid close as the Confederation commanders had to issue new orders and directives to their retreating forces. The Corellians and Bothans had full fleet groups, and twenty capital ships each withdrew to Corellia and Bothawui. The Commenori forces also withdrew home, and a small multi-national force held Kuat, ready to make their next strategic move.

    Babo supplied all the data to Lyons, because he was an analyst and he knew what to do with this kind of data.

    The Eriaduan forces would be dispersed across the space between their worlds, enabling them to shift more assets to Kuat...

    It would take time. Would Solo and Niathal let them have it?

    But that didn't stop him keeping his word... but it did convince him to have a more personal touch in what Adam was doing with Loriana, Kirney, and Trec... the Bothan Admiral moved his flag to the cruiser-carrier Ranger, and joined them and their expensive fighter deployment, and handed Adam and his squadron all the information they needed, while Trec took the Warrior to Eriadu.

    He waited for Adam to bring him a target, and a mission.

    Of course, Loriana had TIE Defender training materials to plug into, as did everyone else. There was a single mission programmed into the simulators; a mission to save a squadron of X-wings who had been ambushed by six squadrons of TIEs - two squadrons each of TIE Fighters, TIE Interceptors, and TIE Bombers. The location was Distna, in the Cuitric Hegemony, and was a real mission from three decades ago, an ambush the Rogues once fought and lost.

    Mere practice, of course.

    TAG: @adaml83, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha
    ---
    IC: Captain Shula

    Glorious, Coruscant system

    Having been recalled to defend Coruscant, Colonel Solo had promoted Shula to command of the Glorious for her actions in disciplining Taris, and she and her former ship, the Ranger-class gunship she renamed Shula's Pride out of pique, were now given missions from the GAG, rather than GA High Command.

    The Glorious was a thirty year old ship, but it was hardy, and stocked with E-wings which was nice.

    And now they had fresh orders from Colonel Solo; they were to continue their mission against the lesser Confederate members, giving them the chance to rejoin or be disciplined like Taris.

    She was given her choice of targets, but to avoid Corellia, Commenor, Fondor or Bothawi - unless she wanted a quick death. So, she could choose from Adumar, Bespin, Bimmisaari, Katraasi, Atzerri, Jabiim and so forth. But Eriadu hadn't been mentioned in either slot - as a new member of the Confederation.

    Shula wondered how eager the Eriaduans would be to join up, and rush forces to the frontline.

    Would that leave them open?

    Shula decided to have a look.

    TAG: No-One
    ---
    IC: White Eyes

    Cloister of XoXaan, Valley of the Dark Lords, Korriban, Esstran Sector

    The One Sith were not able to keep up with the rapidly changing state of the war.

    They had a few pieces in play, but many more in reserve - some freshly having returned to Korriban due being exposed by Aden Kya.

    By Darth Insipid.

    Grimacing, White Eyes regretted allowing the title to percolate. Darth Krayt was in stasis and would not misuse it; Wyyrlok merely conveyed his visions as and when. He allowed White Eyes to rule in his stead, therefore. A quirk of a smile.

    For now, of course.

    Nonetheless, ee ticked off objectives.

    Firstly, the punishment of Eriadu, to weaken the Confederation - that mission was already on-going, or it would have been cancelled; the Confederation was losing now. But it was too late, so Irek and the twins may as well kill a few politicians while they were there.

    Secondly, the Holocron of Darth Andeddu. Interestingly, that Holocron had resurfaced in secret Confederate hands. So, was it bait, or opportunity? A team had been assembled in either case.

    Thirdly, Aden Kya. He had successfully helped turn the tide of the entire war, along with Jacen Solo - the project of Lumiya and Vergere, he hissed. So many irritants. But until the Jedi stepped in... could White Eyes risk sending assets to kill Aden? He could trip over a Jedi mission, exposing the entire Order.

    White Eyes growled.

    For now; he would do nothing.

    TAG: No-One
    ---
    IC: The Red-Haired Admiral

    Elsewhere, musing, aboard a Star Destroyer, somewhere in the galaxy

    Her Intelligence was not the best, and it made her want to become more involved in affairs. But until she was directly called in, she would continue her mission; defend what was hers, keep her friends and allies secure, and raid the Galactic Alliance as necessary to supply her colony. There was no point picking a side to her raids... though she had yet to assault the Confederation.

    Should she?

    Or perhaps up her fleets assaults on the Galactic Alliance to slow the tide?

    She needed more Intelligence.

    Which meant... putting a feeler out.

    She activated an asset, one that had never, not even through intermediaries, worked out that she had set up the Ryn Network during the Yuuzhan Vong War. While it had been subsumed by the Jedi-led secret organisation eventually - the Insiders - enough of it had remained independent of the GA to remain useful.

    So, she tapped Droma.

    He could work out what best to do, and when to call in her fleet, as he had at Esfandia. That had been clear-cut - Pellaeon needed her. But now?

    Solo was going for the galaxy's fasted descent into tyranny while emulating his grandfather's sense of style, she scoffed, recalling the few times she had met Darth Vader. She had her own Force sensitive spies she could use, but for now? She'd keep them in support.

    TAG: No One
    ---
    IC: Count Dooku

    Serenno Palace, Serenno, D'Astan Sector, Outer Rim

    Where were they?

    He had two interested parties, and none had turned up. Count Malvern had transmitted his updated introduction, and the other group had their own credentials. Dooku stroked his beard, and looked at the Holocron, still encased in a glass container. Darth Andeddu was active, at his own volition, seemingly, almost pacing his prison.

    "I can hear them," he said. "Four Force users. Two dark as dark... two, interesting, part dark, part not..."

    Dooku bit his lip and stepped over. "Explain."

    "You appear to have caught the attention of competing interests. The other two, they are much older than the others... the little darknesses are so fresh and new. Easy prey, perhaps, but cautious. They have sensed the... tension in the palace, and are waiting for the others to approach you first." Andeddu glanced back, the red-hologram-spirit... thing, leering. "You may have some violence occur soon."

    Breathing through his fear, Dooku shook his head. "What do you suggest?"

    "Let me free, and I shall protect you."

    Dooku paused, then scowled. "I don't need that." He opened a comlink, and dialled so it was open to all, including, of course, Bernael, Renn, and Ebony, if they were listening in. "This is Count Dooku to the Royal Guard. Please present yourself in the main antechamber. I am present, and expecting a threat to a transaction I am undertaking."

    Andeddu snorted as he finished. "What makes you think they will protect you?"

    "Sun Guards?" Dooku snorted. "They can give Jedi problems, with their Echani training. Eshan has competed with Mandalore for years; they will be plenty."

    "Don't you think you should be doubly prepared?"

    Dooku felt another rivulet of fear. Andeddu pointed at the desk. "It's in there, isn't it? I can hear the crystal."

    "That is a family heirloom." Dooku didn't reference the other features of the desk, nor the chair. "They will want it if I show it to them."

    "I am sure," Andeddu said, softly, casting his dark mind around. "I am sure."

    TAG: @Adalia-Durron, @darthbernael (x2)
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2020
  25. Adalia-Durron

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

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Jay Sarkin, Rooty Aran, Erbas Hawcron, Adalia Tehanis, Jesse Coulson.
    Mess Hall - Hawkbat Base.




    Adalia watched Senator Doe’s ship leave the base before turning to Erbas. “You ready to face her?”

    The man shifted his weight uncomfortably. “No, but I don’t think that’s going to get better.” Erbas responded. “Broken is broken.” He shrugged.

    Adalia knew Jay had left him, she knew Jay wanted more from her life and wasn’t ready to settle down when Erbas was. She remembered how hurt he’d been, how shattered as he was prepared to marry her and start a family. “Well, let’s go face it together.” She urged.

    Making their way to the Mess hall she was sure that’s where they’d be and she was correct. Entering the room with Erbas behind her she smiled as she saw Jay telling the group some story about her and Rooty’s prank filled past. She came up behind her. “And then their Lead found them.”

    Jay spun, a grin on her face. “ADDIE!!!” she threw her arms around the older woman nearly knocking her off her crutches.

    Erbas was behind her and grabbed his Lead under the arms. “Careful!” He almost snapped.

    Jay looked over Adalia’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.” She stepped back, “I was just so happy to see you.” She explained glancing at the man behind. “Erbas, it’s good to see you too, you look ……..good.”

    Adalia instantly felt the tension through the Force.

    “You look ………the same” Erbas said as he released Adalia. “Be more careful, she’s breakable now.” He went on.

    Jay frowned. “Breakable?” She looked to Adalia then back to Erbas curiously.

    “She’s……….” he tried to find a nice way to tell her.

    Adalia sensed he was struggling. “He means this.” She pulled her over sized shirt tight over her belly.

    Jay’s eyes widened. “Seriously!? STANG!! This is amazing news!!” She went to hug the woman again but stopped. “I want too….This is amazing!” She cried again as she looked to Erbas then to Rooty. “Why didn’t you mention this?”

    Rooty shrugged, “It’s not my news to tell.” He smiled.

    Jay rolled her eyes. “Come sit down Addie I want to hear all about it.” She pulled a nearby chair out indicating to sit.

    Adalia made her way to the chair and sat down looking around slightly and giving a little frown. She had noticed Jesse wasn’t here. “What do you want to know?” she asked with a smile.

    Jay sat down. “So, how far?” She had a million questions, but controlled her words.

    “Five months now.” Adalia looked down. “He’s moving now.”

    “He?!?!” Jay repeated excitedly. “And………………is Daddy around?” she asked. She’d been out of the loop for a very long time.

    Adalia smiled. “Not here on base but yes.”

    Erbas sat down opposite. “He’s with the Jedi.” He explained. “But he has to come back soon.”

    Jay glanced at him “So you guys are still together? That’s good news.” She took her friends hands. “Did you ever accept his proposal?”

    Rooty laughed. “No, she asked him only a week or so ago, and he said yes! She didn’t want to be a single mother!”

    Jays eyes widened. “You asked him?”

    Adalia gave a nod. “I got weak; I blame the baby.” She squeezed Jays hands. “So tell us what you’ve been doing all this time?”

    Jay moved slightly uncomfortably. “I’ve been out of contact for a while. Been…..freelancing.”

    Rooty glanced to Erbas who was looking to him now. They both spoke at the same time.

    “Smuggling”

    “Smuggling”

    Adalia smirked at how fast they both saw through her as she watched Jay glare at them both. She gave her head a shake. “No comment Jay, but not here, not with us. Clear?”

    “Very Addie, very. I don’t want that life anymore, there’s no future in it.” The younger woman conceded.

    “Now she wants a future.” Erbas muttered as he stood. “Excuse me, I have…….things to do.” He turned and started to leave, brushing past Jesse as the other man entered the Mess Hall. He turned to him. “Women, avoid them at all costs, take my advice” he muttered before he was gone.

    Jesse watched him go. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Entering the room, he made his way to get himself a cup of Caff before turning and moving toward the table to see the newcomer sipping as he did so.

    Jay looked down, she had regrets these days, but how did she go back? She knew she couldn't.

    Adalia turned to him. “Sit down Jesse, have you met Jay Sarkin? She’s a Saber.” She invited.

    Jay turned and stood smiling and extending her hand. “You are?”

    Adalia watched carefully, she knew Jay would love this.

    Jesse took her hand. “Jesse Coulson.”

    “How’d Addie get a nice guy like you into this mess?” She asked with a grin.

    “She asked? I was with her on The Ocean, heading up the Wild Knightz.” He lied.

    Jay’s mouth fell open as she glanced at Adalia then back to Jesse. “You were Wild Knightz Lead?”

    Jesse gave a nod. “Was.”

    Jay laughed. “The Legends live on!” She turned to Rooty and Adalia. “We’re Legendary!”




    TAG @Sinrebirth @adaml83