MC: AOTE: Fraught With Disappointment

[JasraLantill]

Beryl’s breath had quickened from her ranting, and now, with Ryshana holding her hands, she closed her eyes and inhaled a shuddering deep breath to try to calm herself. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t help how I’m feeling. It’s this place. Can’t you feel it? Something’s wrong. Something is really, really wrong here.”

 

She opened her eyes and looked at Ryshana. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say those things. I just want to get out of here. Get away from this place and go home."

[Rogue Nine]

"Home sounds nice," Conn said as he sidled up to the two women, having watched Beryl's little outburst from the side. He'd considered giving her a sedative, but decided against it when Jeez and Ryshana intervened.

 

"Unfortunately for us all, for the moment, we're stuck here," he said giving an apologetic look to Beryl, then turning to Ryshana. "However, let's not let that get in the way of a married couple," he said to her, rummaging in his pocket and extracting a keycard and handing it to her. "Just wave it over the reader outside to get in, then wave it over the reader inside to lock the door." He gave her a smile. "After what you've been through, I think you deserve a little relaxation. Just try not to make things too messy in there. I just cleaned up today for the Admiral's surprise visit."

[stingerhs]

"I forgive you, and I'll tell you what. The next chance I get, I'll teach you how to tell the difference between dark and light and how to avoid the darkness. It should help," Ryshana responded to Beryl. She then gave her a reassuring smile.

 

"Well, I don't think you'll have to worry about it getting too messy in there," Jeez stated as he took the card from Conn. "We just need some time to get, umm, reacquainted."

 

As Ryshana turned around, she gave Jeez a lighthearted punch in the arm in response to his last comment. "Anyways, I think we'll be heading off for the night. May the Force be with you all," Jeez stated.

 

With that, they entered the room and closed the door behind them.

[JasraLantill]

Beryl was feeling a bit better now, having blown her top and then reconcilling with Ryshana. Still, she was finding it hard to keep her feelings in check. As she watched Jeez and Ryshana leave, she couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of the pair. She hadn't seen Conn in nearly ten years, and true, they weren't married, but that didn't mean that she didn't desire the same type of comfort and privacy that Jeez and Ryshana were enjoying.

 

"Well, I suppose it's time to back to our 'hole' now, isn't it?" she said, looking at Sam and then Max. "Lucky us." She gave a sideways glance at Conn. "So, where are you going to sleep tonight?"

 

"Hey, he can sleep in Ice's bunk," Sam offered, grinning.

 

Max shook her head. "Erm... not a good idea. I'm sure the good doctor will think of something." She motioned to the door. "We should get going though. They'll be having roll call soon."

[Grace]

Reibe was waiting when Jana entered her room and Jana completely ignored her. The older woman watched with an expression of great amusement as Jana settled in on her bed and lifted a datapad to read. Then, an odd flicker of emotion, something like the combination of concern and understanding passed through her eyes and she cleared her throat.

 

"What would you do if Nic didn't come back from this risky venture?" she asked casually. Jana's gaze never even flickered from her reading.

 

"Ain't happening," she replied shortly. Reibe leaned forward, resting her elbows on her legs and her chin in her hands.

 

"But what if it does?" she pressed. "What if Nic falls behind and we have to leave him?"

 

Jana shot a sharp glare in Reibe's direction before returning to her reading. "Falling behind or not, we're not leaving him," she insisted more firmly.

 

"Even at the cost of the ship and the rest of the crew?" Reibe wondered. Jana hurled the datapad in her hand at Reibe, sitting up and swearing in Old Corellian.

 

"For the last time," she growled, "Nic will not be left behind. The crew will not be in that great a danger, and you will now shut your mouth... and let me back to my reading."

 

Reibe caught the datapad as it was hurled at her and listened with an almost serene smile as Jana began to rant. Then, when Jana demanded to be allowed her reading time, Reibe tossed the datapad back to her and rose. As she passed through the door, she asked softly, "But what if you're wrong?"

 

And with that, she was gone. Jana glared fiercely at the door and made a rude gesture in that direction before returning to her reading with a grumpy frown.

[Rogue Nine]

"This operating table is actually pretty comfortable, if I set it up correctly," Conn said, hopping up onto the table and swinging his legs back and forth.

 

"We should get going though. They'll be having roll call soon."

 

As the three women moved to the door, Conn called out, "Hey Beryl, can I have a moment?"

 

Max shot him a look. "Make it quick, Conn," she said, checking her chrono.

 

"Don't worry, Max. Just go on." He waved her off. "I can bring her down myself if it comes to that."

 

Max glared at him again, then looked at Beryl, then back at Conn. "All righty then, you're the doc," she said, her eyes twinkling oddly. She turned on her heel, shooing Sam out the door, who looked back at Conn and Beryl with a strangely apprehensive look in her eyes.

 

When they'd left, Beryl approached Conn slowly. "Hey, what's up?" she asked. "I don't need any tranqs," she said. "I'm fine now." She flashed a rueful grin. "Really."

 

Conn, still sitting on the table and swinging his legs, scratched his head and said, "Actually, I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I was kinda worried about you that whole time you were down there."

 

"Yeah?" Beryl pressed her lips together, looking him over as she did so. "How worried?"

 

"Y'know, that same old worry that I used to get back when we worked for Incom," he replied, shifting slightly. "You'd be flying some crazy new Zeke prototype, all gung-ho; I'd be sitting in the medbay, hoping I wouldn't have to reattach limbs or anything else vital." He gave her a lopsided grin. "Only this time, this Zeke had lightsabers and Jedi in it while I'm still sitting on my hands here."

 

Beryl looked over at the door, and then back at Conn. They were alone now. "You know," she said moving a bit closer to him, "there are better things to do with hands than sit on them."

 

Conn's eyebrows shot up. He consciously checked himself for pheromone emissions. Nope, not emitting anymore than normal... He looked into Beryl's eyes. She hadn't spoken to him like that in nearly a decade. "What are you saying, Beryl?" he asked slowly, tensing slightly.

 

"Well...." She raked her eyes over him. "You're a doctor. Don't you ever need to practice beside manner?" She gave him a tender look. "I said I didn't need any tranqs, but... but a hug would be nice."

 

"That I can do," Conn said as he hopped down and embraced her. As she buried her face in his shoulder, he unconsciously kissed the top of her head, as he'd done often enough during their time at Incom. "I've missed you, B," he said quietly.

 

"I missed you, too," she whispered back. "I was so stupid to let you go. All those missed years..."

 

He chuckled softly. "Don't tell me you want to start making up for that now."

 

"Why not?" She pulled away slightly from him. "We had something good back then, didn't we? You think we could ever be like that again?"

 

He tilted his head to the side. "I'd like that," he replied, then grinned ruefully. "I'd also like if this was under better circumstances, but eh. What is it you Jedi folk say? 'The Force works in mysterious ways' or something?" He leaned in and touched his forehead to Beryl's. "All I know is, I'm glad you crash landed back into my life again."

 

"So, guess you should take me down to the cells now," she said. She grinned slyly. "Unless, you're keeping me in for observation?"

 

Conn pondered this for a few moments. "I'm thinking I might just do that," he said, returning her mischievous smile. "Assuming you'd want to stay here in this musty old medbay for the night, that is." He winked at her, then pulled back and hopped onto the table again, holding her hand.

 

Beryl grinned tongue in cheek. "I might. As long as you don't snore."

 

"I don't plan on doin' a lot of snoring tonight, darlin'," Conn as he pulled her towards him.

[stingerhs]

"Finally alone," Ryshana commented as the door closed and locked itself behind them. "I don't mean that in a bad way, its just that you and I haven't had any time alone in so long."

 

"I know," Jeez replied as he looked over at her. After repressing his feelings since they started the rescue that day, Jeez was finally able to smile as he noticed how beautiful she was all over again. Looking at her, Jeez's mind drifted back to an early morning sunrise as Ryshana stood looking over a beautiful mountainside from a white marble balcony.

 

She had been dressed in flowing white silk, and Jeez remembered walking up to her from behind. Ryshana then turned around and smiled at him as they embraced there on the balcony. He could scarcely remember her warmth as they stood there together in the light breeze. In that moment, time seemed to stand still, and the thoughts of the war seemed to be floating away in the same breeze.

 

Then, Jeez came back to reality as Ryshana took his hand in hers. "You're remembering Alderaan, aren't you?" she asked

 

Jeez just smiled as he looked right into her beautiful eyes. "Yes. I was remembering the moment that we shared after our wedding night. You remember when we embraced on the balcony outside the room," Jeez stated softly as he wrapped his arms around her in a similar embrace.

 

As they closed their eyes, they could both remember what had happened on Alderaan. They remembered how Jeez had proposed to her, and they remembered the Wedding Ceremony. Then, finally, they remembered their wedding night with the white silk draped over the bed with the final rays of the sunset beaming softly into the room. And as they remembered, it seemed that for one night at the prison, all the cares of the world were forgotten.

[Rogue Nine]

((woo go joint posties))

 

Beryl finished buttoning her shirt, and then stretched her arms lazily over her head. "So, doctor," she said, glancing over at Conn, "what's your diagnosis? Am I fit?"

 

Conn pulled himself up into a sitting position, moving sheets out of the way with his bare feet. "Oh, I definitely think so," he replied truthfully. He yawned, then reached over for his shirt by Beryl's toes. "Y'think they might be lookin' for ya by now?"

 

"Yeah," Beryl said glumly. She turned to Conn. "Say, do you have anything to eat? I'm starving. And I'm really not in the mood for 'grey goo' for breakfast."

 

"Well, we still do have that ryshcate your brother left you," Conn said, rolling his sinewy frame off the table-cum-makeshift bed. He stretched his arms out over his head, then reached down to touch his toes. Spotting something, he reached out with a hand to scoop Beryl's leggings up, then straightened up and tossed them softly to her.

 

Beryl grinned as she caught them. "Ryshcate..." She raised an eyebrow. "You got any blue milk?"

 

"Yeah, I do," Conn said, striding over to the far wall and opening a small refridgerator. Taking out a small carton, he turned back to Beryl and shook it. "I'm only supposed to use this for medicinal purposes."

 

"Pfft," Beryl scoffed. "You're a doctor, everything you do is for 'medicinal purposes'," she reasoned, hopping down and fetching the ryshcate from Conn's desk and bringing it back to the table.

 

"Oh really," Conn said. "What would you call last night?"

 

Beryl thought for a moment, then grinned. "Theraputic measures," she said, wiggling her hips at him slightly before she sat down.

 

Conn chuckled. He had procured two cups into which he was pouring the light cyan liquid. Handing one to her, he sat back down and looked at the ryshcate. "It looks pretty good," he commented.

 

"Yeah, it's probably directly from Corellia," Beryl said. "I'm sure Nuss keeps some on hand." She looked at him. "Traditionally, ryshcate is reserved for celebrations and momentous occasions."

 

It was Conn's turn to be pensive for a moment. "Well then, I suppose we should celebrate rekindled friendships."

 

"That works for me," Beryl said, lifting the ryshcate and breaking it into smaller pieces, then handing one to Conn. Holding her own piece up, she pronounced, "We share this ryshcate in the same way we share our celebration of a friendship rekindled."

 

"To a friendship rekindled," Conn repeated.

 

Beryl bit into the piece of pastry carefully and sighed. "Mmm. Just a hint of Whyren's Reserve with vweliu nut slivers. I haven't had ryshcate this good in years..."

 

Conn took a taste of his own piece. "You Corellians may be recklessly foolhardy and doggedly stubborn, but you do know how to make a damn good dessert," he pronounced as he swallowed, then took a swig of blue milk.

 

"That's not all this Corellian is good at," Beryl said as she finished her ryshcate, eyeing Conn predatorially.

 

"Oh?" he said, finishing his drink and leaving a faint blue milk mustache above his lip. "Remind me again what this Corellian is good at."

 

"Gladly," she said, moving to cover his mouth with hers. After a few long moments, they parted again, coming up for air.

 

Conn glanced over at the chrono on the wall. "Odds are, they'll be expecting you down there soon," he told her.

 

"Conn, you did not just tell a Corellian the odds," Beryl said mock-accusatorily. She cocked her head towards the chrono, then turned back to him. "To hell with the odds," she breathed.

 

"Right, I forgot," Conn replied, moving the spare pieces of ryshcate out of the way before Beryl launched herself at him.

 

****

 

Forty minutes later, they exited the elevator into the cell block level. Beryl had binders snapped loosely to her wrists and Conn held a pistol to the small of her back.

[starmark2k]

Nic walked into a bar on a small moon on the outskirts of the Corellian Sector, it was nothing more than a mining colony and a couple of landing pads. This was a great place for someone to lie low for while and Nic needed to stay out of a lot of people’s way. Nic wan’t alone he was followed by Cloud and Aerith, all looking very pleased with them selves after a successful job.

 

“Time to celebrate boss.” Aerith announced. “Why don’t we buy all these nice people drinks.”

 

“If you’re the one paying go ahead.” Nic replied.

 

“on second thoughts.” She laughed.

 

“I’ll grab a table.” Cloud informed. “You guys get the drinks.”

 

Nic and Aerith then walked up to the bar and called over the bar tender.

 

“Two Corellian ales and a…” Nic turned to Aerith.

 

“I’ll have a sullustial Jet fuel.” Aerith ordered one of the strongest cocktails in the galaxy getting a surprised look from Nic. “We can afford it, especially after we just pulled.”

 

The bar tender walked off to get the drinks. “Well don’t act so happy around Jana.”

 

“Yeah, she’ll be washing that stuff out of her hair for weeks.” Aerith laughed as the bartender placed the drinks on the table, Nic went to grab Cloud‘s but Aerith stopped him. Hey boss why don’t you give me and C some time to get to know each other better.”

 

“Why don’t you just ask him out on a date, the poor sap ain’t going to ask you.” Nic said

 

“Hey, I’ll do things my way.” She replied grabbing clouds drink and walking over to the table.

 

Nic slowly sipped his drink occasionally looking over to the show of Aerith seducing Cloud in an attempt to get him to make the first move. When he was halfway through his ale he looked down at a couple of stalls and saw a wan staring down at his drink. Nic wasn’t normally one to pry into people’s business but this person seemed out of place, his cloths were immaculate and his hands looked like they hadn’t done a hard days work ever.

 

“What’s a guy like you doing in a place like this?” Nic asked moving closer to the man.

 

“The same reason we all are…” the man replied.

 

“Ah the empire.” Nic continued.

 

“Oh yeah.” He replied down a shot of some drink then ordering another.

 

“So what’s your story?” Nic asked finding himself oddly compelled to find out this mans story.

 

“Me… I’m a doctor, and I saved girls life.” The man Said. “Now I’m here. Oliver Van Impe the man who lost everything for not killing someone.”

 

“Ah, You’re an Ex-imp then.” Nic realised.

 

“Yep and now I’m nothing, Zip, nadda, the Scum of the galaxy.”

 

“Well in my book you ain’t an Imp any more, so you an’t scum.” Nic told him. “So you’re unemployed.”

 

“Yeah.” Oliver replied.

 

“Want a Job?”

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

Ni awoke from his dream, he had slept less than an hour all night and that was filled with the memory of meeting Oliver. The time was coming up for him to get ready to leave for the reaper and death. He laughed at the irony of going to Ship with such a name to die, it seemed like it was almost destiny… and it probably was.

 

Nic got out of bed and began to assemble his equipment.

[JasraLantill]

Forty minutes later, they exited the elevator into the cell block level. Beryl had binders snapped loosely to her wrists and Conn held a pistol to the small of her back.

 

The morning claxon's hadn't yet gone off to start the prison day, but as soon as they reached the cell door, Sam immediately rose from her bunk. Hands on hips, she said to Beryl, "Well, that was the longest 'moment' I've ever seen. If I knew you were going to be gone so long, I wouldn't have tried to wait up for you."

 

As Conn unlocked her binders, Beryl raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You waited up for me?"

 

Sam gave Conn a dirty look. "Of course I waited up for you," she said to Beryl. "I was... 'concerned' about you, sweetie."

 

"I think the term is 'jealous'," Max commented snidely from her bunk above Sam's.

 

"Whatever," Sam said dismissively. "The point is you could have told me that you were planning to stay the night with... 'him.'"

 

"He kept me in the med bay for observation," Beryl said defensively.

 

"Yeah. Right." Sam crossed her arms over her chest. "I bet he observed a lot, too."

 

Beryl gave Sam an apologetic look. "Gee, Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

 

"Well, I forgive you," Sam said, then grinned to show that she was indeed not upset anymore. "So... guess we have to go to work in the mines today, since we sort of don't have a job anymore, right?"

[Rogue Nine]

Conn gave Beryl's wrist one last squeeze and was about ready to go when Max caught his eye. Gesturing with her head towards the door, she hopped down from her bunk and trotted outside. Before he made to follow her, he turned back to Sam and Beryl. "See you later, ladies," he said with a jaunty wave as he exited.

 

Once outside, he saw that Max had made her way a little further down the corridor, so he jogged to catch up with her. "What's going on?" he asked her.

 

"Just wanted to make sure you were still ready for what we've got to get done today." She gave him a level stare. "Gotta be on your toes for today."

 

He nodded at her. "I'm good to go." He checked his chrono. "We've still got a bit of time, though."

 

"Yeah, so get anything you need to get done out of the way before then," Max told him, leaning up against a wall. She looked him over with a discerning eye. "And I trust you enjoyed yourself last night," she remarked evenly.

 

Conn could feel his face flush slightly. "I'm not going to hide anything, Max," he stated.

 

"Oh, I know, that isn't like you," Max said, a jovial tone to her voice. "Just make sure you don't get yourself too involved. Involvement leads to distraction. And distractions can be deadly around here."

 

"I can handle myself, Max," Conn said, moving towards the lift. "Thanks for your concern, however."

 

"Be ready," she called out to him as the doors slid shut.

[starmark2k]

Nic white left his room with Betsy slung over his shoulder and carrying a bag full of timed explosive charges. He heard a banging noise coming from the back of the ship from within the engine room, the captain walked towards the rare of the ship.

 

Cloud was there working on the primary power distribution controls, he must have heard Nic approach and looked over at him. “Hey Nic getting ready to take down an imperial capital ship?”

 

“Yeah, I’m carrying enough explosives to blow a large chunk off of a moon.” Nic replied causing Cloud to laugh. “Hey I need you to do something for me.”

 

“Don’t worry the ship will be able to do the kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs by the time I’m finished with it.”

 

“That’s not possible.” Nic replied. “But it’s something else anyway.”

 

“What.” Cloud asked as he stopped working to give Nic his full attention sensing it was serious.

 

Nic reached into the bag he was carrying and moved some explosives to the side and took out an item wrapped in a cloth. He handed the wrapped cloth to Cloud. “I want you too have this… Just in case.”

 

Cloud took the cloth and unwrapped it to see Ryshana’s lightsaber in it. “What you want me to use it?”

 

“No just give it to here when she’s back on board.”

 

“Won’t you be able to do that?” Cloud asked confused.

 

“Yeah, well you never know what might happen.” Nic replied as he left Cloud to his work and headed towards the common room.

[JasraLantill]

Meanwhile, the Admiral had left the main prison and his shuttle had just docked in the Reaper’s hanger bay.

 

“And what if Captain Raikelli isn’t receptive to the idea?” Major Payne was asking the Admiral as they disembarked down the shuttle’s ramp.

 

“Three squads of Stormtroopers is hardly a strain on his resources,” the Admiral replied coolly. “Besides, I’m sure we can come to an arrangement. After the inspection, of course.”

 

“Of course. At any rate, sir, the Commander won’t be happy about you sending down extra troops to his facility.”

 

“No, he won’t,” the Admiral agreed. “But his happiness is not my concern. Preventing my sister's possibly escape is.”

 

The Major nodded. “So, sir, shall we proceed to the bridge to meet the good Captain, or shall I just instruct the team to get started?”

 

“Both,” said the Admiral. “Captain Raikelli has had more than enough time to prepare for our arrival.”

 

As the Major sent out some orders on his datapad to the rest of the Admiral’s inspection team, he followed the Admiral to the bridge to meet Captain Raikelli.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So, should we check out the mines today?” Beryl asked Sam. “Since we technically don’t have a job anymore.” She grinned. “No Jedi, no laundry.”

 

“True,” Sam agreed. She eyed Beryl over. “It’s hard labour in the mines though. You sure you’re up to it? Being as you were ‘out’ all last night with the doctor,” she added, tongue-in-cheek.

 

“Sam…”

 

Sam held her hands up in surrender. “It’s perfectly alright, sweetie. I know that our relationship isn’t as solid as it could be….”

 

Beryl raised an eyebrow. “Relationship? Sam, we only just met a few days ago.”

 

Sam grinned. “Yeah, I know. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t work on what’ve got.” The claxons went off, indicating that it was time for the inmates’ day to start. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I'm not mad at you. You can still sit next to me at breakfast.”

 

Beryl gave a quick smile. “Thanks, Sam.”

 

“No problem.” She held out an arm. “Shall we go?”

 

Beryl rolled her eyes. “Sam….”

 

“Okay, okay,” Sam said, again holding her hands up. “Can’t fault a girl for trying, can you?”

 

“No,” Beryl sighed. “I suppose not. But don’t push it,” she added.

 

Sam just grinned.

 

The two of them made their way with the rest of the inmate population to the chow hall, planning to go and join the rest of the inmates in the mines where they would do a bit of ‘exploring’ near the cargo shaft.

[Rogue Nine]

Conn stepped out of the lift and into the cold sterile hallway. He'd only ever been up here a couple of times, and neither of those times was very pleasant. One had been for a particularly violent ruckus that had left several prisoners seriously injured and quite a few dead. The second time had been to deal with a particularly bad nervous breakdown had by Commander Refla, which ended in him being sedated for a few days. Conn hoped that this time wouldn't end as nuttily as the previous two.

 

Approaching the commander's office, he spotted Max standing outsid the door, leaning against the wall, a stormtrooper at her side. Despite the expressionless helmet, Conn definitely thought he could see a disinterested look on the stormie's face. He really couldn't fault the trooper for being bored; a post at a prison facility wasn't exactly the most glamourous of assignments. The stormtrooper stood to attention as Conn approached; at least military discipline was still worth something.

 

"At ease," Conn told him, then turned to look at Max, who had a smirk on her face. "What?" he asked.

 

"You're late, Doctor," Max chided as they stepped towards the doorway. "Beryl pay you another 'observation' visit?"

 

"Oh shut it, Max," Conn said, rolling his eyes as they entered Commander Refla's office.

 

The slightly hirsute commander was pacing by his desk, looking worried about something, a look he often wore on his pudgy face. Noticing the two approaching newcomers, he turned his beady eyes towards them. "Yes, Dr. Harlowe, Trustee Coronis. What is it you need?" he asked, his thin, reedy voice a bit high, a sure sign of stress.

 

Max produced a clipboard and stylus from behind her back. "Just need you to sign this bit of busy work, sir," she said.

 

Commander Refla took them from her hands and looked them over, his eyes scanning the documents over quickly. "Yes, yes we need those...ooh, better extradite that one soon, mmm..." he murmured as he continued to read.

 

Max had taken advantage of his distraction, sidling over to the side of his desk. She gave Conn a curt nod.

 

On cue, Conn moved forward a bit, slowly interposing himself between the commander and Max.

[starmark2k]

((OCC- I can no longer be jealous of the joint posters as i am now one of them.))

 

Admiral Quitaan entered the bridge, followed closely behind by Major Payne and the Admiral’s personal security detail. His sharp eyes spotted Captain Kriss Raikellii and without any hesitation he walked toward him.

 

“Admiral on the bridge!” Major Payne announced.

 

Without slowing his step, the Admiral said, “At ease.” He proceeded towards the captain. “Captain Raikellii,” he greeted him. “I trust you’re ready for my inspection?”

 

"We are always ready, Admiral," The captain replied obviously not intimidated by the ranking officer. "Everything is fit for the Emperor himself."

 

“Good,” the Admiral said. He made a motion to Major Payne, who began inputting things into his database as he headed for a data terminal. “Perhaps then you might accompany me to your quarters? I have a matter I wish to discuss with you. In private.”

 

"I'm sure my office will be more appropriate Admiral and its closer." The captain began to walk out. "Follow me please."

 

The Admiral gave a nod to his security detail to remain on the bridge and he followed the captain to his office. Once inside, the Admiral said, “I don’t like to waste time on pleasantries, so I’ll get straight to the point, Raikellii. I need three squads of your Stormtroopers to go down to the prison facility. There is a special transfer case that I’m overseeing and I don’t trust Commander Refla’s ability to adequately handle the situation.”

 

"And why may I ask why you need this special transfer?" Raikellii asked raising an eyebrow. "And why all this secrecy?"

 

The Admiral paused for a moment. “The transfer case is my sister,” he said calmly. “And, she has a propensity to be… difficult when it comes to doing something that she doesn’t want to do.”

 

"Ahh yes, the one brought in a few days ago," Kriss replied. "I suppose you want this transfer kept as secret as possible from your superiors."

 

“It would be preferable, yes,” the Admiral sighed. “Family matters can be so… inconvenient. Although,” he added, “once she’s been through the re-education process, I’m certain that she will be an asset to the Empire.” The Admiral looked at Kriss. “You do have ‘proper’ detention facilities on board?”

 

"Really, I don't recall your sister being placed in that part of the facility. Maybe that’s why you are so concerned with her possible escape." Captain Raikellii paused for a moment. "I will give you the troops on a single condition."

 

The Admiral’s mouth twitched. “I’m concerned with her escape because she’s escaped from me before,” he explained. “She’s very… resourceful. But, come, let’s hear your ‘condition’.”

 

"I, too, have a sibling who I have unfinished business with," Kriss replied with a sinister smile. "If you would turn a blind eye to events that should unfold today I would turn a blind eye to events concerning your sister."

 

“Today?” Berasmus Quitaan raised a suspicious eyebrow as he took a moment to consider what Kriss had just said. “May I ask what your sibling is called? What name they go by?”

 

"My Brother is Simon Raikellii but he has been going by Nic White for several years now."

 

“Nic White…” The Admiral nodded slowly. “I see.” He walked a few paces, obviously thinking of what he would say next. “Captain,” he started, “I’ll agree to your condition, though I think I might have a solution that would suit us both in this situation.” He turned to face Kriss. “That is, if you think your brother will be available to participate.”

 

"He will be alive if that is what you are asking." Kriss smiled. "I am curious to how you have heard of him though."

 

The Admiral snorted with amusement. “I have my sources. I believe he’s the captain of the ship my sister was serving on--the Echo, is that correct?”

 

"Yes, I've been also been looking over his record. Suspected of smuggling, arms dealing, hindering the transport of slaves, stealing Imperial property and has even been implicated in the theft from a Corellian Moff with a blond woman who matches your sister’s description."

 

The Admiral almost grinned. “Indeed, Captain. You’ve been thorough. I have a long list of charges against my sister, all of which will be dropped upon completion of her Stage One re-education. Your brother could be instrumental in her conversion. They are always looking for ‘live’ targets at the Academy at Carida.”

 

"How will my brother suffer if he's dead Admiral?" the Captain asked rhetorically. "But I'm sure there are other ways he can be used for your purposes."

 

“Oh, they don’t kill the targets right away, Captain,” the Admiral explained. “Budget cuts, you see. No, they like to get as much use out of them as possible.”

 

"Alright Admiral we will play it your way," the Captain replied.

 

“Please feel free to do with him as you please on the way there,” said Berasmus. “Far be it from me to interfere in a family matter. However, it could help with my sister’s re-education if she were to witness… unpleasantries due to her own uncooperativeness.”

 

The Admiral stuck out his hand, and the two officers shook on the deal.

[Rogue Nine]

Commander Refla finished signing off on the clipboard and looked up to see Conn standing there. Pushing the clipboard into the Conn's hands, he inhaled deeply and looked at the doctor. "Now, that's done. What is it that you needed, Doctor Harlowe?"

 

Conn placed the clipboard down on the Commander's desk before responding. "Actually, I came up here to see what you needed, sir." At Refla's confused look, Conn held up his hands. "Admiral Quitaan and Major Payne said you looked a little stressed out," he explained quickly. It wasn't a total lie; the Admiral had commented on Refla's burgeoning stress levels.

 

"Oh," Commander Refla said. "Did they now? Well, that was certainly nice of them..." He rubbed his chin, then turned to start pacing again. "I think I'm fine though, thank you doctor."

 

Max listened to the conversation between the two men as she cautiously slid around the side of the commander's desk and discreetly knelt down next to the safe box he kept next to his chair. Extracting a heavily-modified datapad, she pressed it up against the door of the box, next to the keypad. Biting her lip in anticipation, she pressed a few keys on her datapad and let it get to work. She peeked over the top of the desk, watching as Conn got Refla to take a seat, while still keeping himself between the pudgy commander and the desk. She shook her head and chuckled to herself silently. Guess your Zeltron charms don't just work on women, Conn, she thought to herself and made up her mind she would have to tease him about that later.

[JasraLantill]

Beryl and Sam had come down in the lift with the rest of the prisoners to work in the mines--and to find out the best way to get up the freight lift that led to the supply depot on the prison asteroid's surface.

 

"So, since I've done this before," Sam said to Beryl, "you want me to show you the ropes?"

 

"Only show me as much as I need to blend in," Beryl told her. She looked around her. It was darker down in the actual mines than it had been at the transfer point where she and Sam had caught their shuttle to the other facility the day before. Good, she thought. Less light, more cover. "Just get us closer to the freight lift. I want to see how it works."

 

"It's a lift," Sam said. "It works by going up and down."

 

Beryl gave Sam a disparaging look. "Well, duh. I want to see the Imp loading procedures in action, okay? So we can sneak out of here with a load tomorrow."

 

"Why can't you just use one of those Jedi mind trick thingies?"

 

"Because I...." Beryl paused to lower her voice. "Because, one, I'm not a Jedi, and, two, I don't want to."

 

"Don't want to?" Sam gave her a strange look as she handed Beryl a mining torch. "You've got this cool power and you don't 'want' to use it?"

 

"No." In actuality, Beryl was becoming afraid of using the Force. The last few times she had used it, things had gone rather 'dark' for her.

 

Sam snorted. "If I had a cool power, I'd want to use it."

 

"You have a cool power. You have the strength of ten men and can tear apart assault droids with your bare hands. Good parlour trick if I ever saw one."

 

"Yeah? You know, it's not really that amazing. Just have to hit them in the right spot at the right time. Anyone could do it."

 

"Ri-ight." Beryl nodded to Sam to get moving. "C'mon. Let's go do some mining."

 

They slowly made their way over to the freight shaft. It was guarded by four guards, though two of them were trustees and so, to Beryl, didn't really count as guards. When a mining trolley was full, it was pushed up to the guards, scanned, then tagged and put into the lift. The guards entered a security code, the lift doors shut, and a few minutes later, the empty trolley returned. The entire procedure took about 4 minutes.

 

"So, why don't you want to use it?" Sam asked, as she and Beryl were pretending to examine some ore while they watched the lift.

 

"Huh?"

 

"The Force. Why don't you want to use it?" asked Sam. "Why not just bowl the guards over and just use the lift? Why all the sneaking? Not that I mind sneaking. It's fun. But why?"

 

"Because I don't want to cause a scene," Beryl said.

 

"Is that what you did in the other facility? When I was waiting for you?"

 

"No," Beryl said, though she didn't sound very sure. "Anyway, I'd rather not call anymore attention to ourselves than we already have."

 

"Ah. It's 'cause of your brother." Sam nodded. "I understand."

 

"No, you don't, but that's okay." Beryl was quiet for a moment. "Sam? Do you think we could get up to see the doctor again today?"

 

Sam glared at her.

 

"Oh, c'mon..." Beryl sighed. "I thought you said you weren't 'mad' at me for staying overnight."

 

"Well, that doesn't mean I condone your actions."

 

"It's not Conn I want to see. It's... Ryshana."

 

Sam's expression softened a bit, but she was still glaring.

 

"We've got to tell her and Jeez eventually about how we're planning to get out of here," said Beryl. "And I think I've figured out a way."

 

"A non-Force way?"

 

"Well, non-Force on my part, yes," Beryl said. "So? How do we get to the doc's office again? I'm not sure faking injuries is going to work this time."

 

"Well... you could always ask for meds." She grinned. "That's what I do."

[starmark2k]

Nic walked up to the Cloak shuttle in Carmen’s special hanger for it, other than a couple of the crime lords employees he was the only one in the large room. He pushed the access buttons on the back of the small, slim lined shuttle to open the airlock on the shuttles port side. He stepped into it and lazily dropped the bag of explosives on the floor and took Betsy off and placed it on a chair. He stepped to the front of the small room where the pilots and co-pilots seats were, he began the pre-launch checks and started to dial in the coordinates for the station while he waited for Oliver, Jack and Jana to arrive.

[Grace]

Jana and Oliver arrived together and neither of them seemed to be acting as usual. Oliver was unusually jittery; Jana seemed to have left her mind aboard the Echo, as if merely thinking about Reibe and the ship would prevent the woman from doing anything.

 

"We're here," Jana said quietly. And finally, she looked around. "Jack's not yet, I see..."

[steven]

"Actually I was here three hours ago, I just had to, go," Jack said walked towards the shuttle "I never thought I'd be happy to see both of you however after spending an hour and a half listen to some mechanic, it's nice to talk to someone who doesn't use the volcabury of speeder salesmen. Everybody ready? Good, then let's blow up a Dreadnought, save our Fighter Pilot and resistantional Jedi Knight... And I hoped for an nice easy life joining this crew."

[starmark2k]

“When you met me people were trying to run me down.” Nic replied following Jack back into the Shuttle and taking the co-pilots seat next to Jack. Oliver and Jana also followed them into the shuttle and sat down in two of the passenger seats. Nic pressed buttons closing and sealing the access door and pushed a few buttons on the Communications display. “Haven, We’re ready to G-O out of here.”

 

“Check that Infiltrator, Doors are opened and you’re clear to fly.” A feminine Voice informed through the speakers.

 

Nic turned to face Jack. “Without the intent to make your life anymore difficult, lets get out of this place and see those white lines.”

[Rogue Nine]

It hadn't been easy, but Conn had managed to get Commander Refla to take a seat on the small dais in the office. The hirsute officer was talking up a storm, and Conn couldn't help feeling more like a therapist as opposed to a general practicioner. "It's all right, Commander..."

 

"Is it?" Refla asked rhetorically. "I've got so many other things to deal with without having to worry about some big bad Admiral coming down for an inspection." He said this dejectedly, rather than angrily, as he wiped a hand across his brow. "Not to mention I have a family to think about as well..."

 

Max half-listened to Commander Refla's sob story as she monitored her safebreaker's progress. The safe itself wasn't too complex at all, but it was still Imperial property, meaning there were probably several different encryptions on it. No matter, her little device would still be able to break through, it would just be a matter of time... There. The datapad beeped, indicating it was finished.

 

Commander Refla snapped out of his depressed reverie and craned his head around to look towards the desk. "What was that?" he asked, his voice alert.

 

Conn cursed silently and moved to block Refla's view. "Oh, nothing I'm sure," he said soothingly. Dammit Max, get out of there...

 

"Sithspit," Max swore under her breath as she detached the safebreaker and swung the door open. Quickly spotting what she was after, her nimble fingers darted in and took hold, then withdrew and slammed the door shut. Stuffing her prize and the safebreaker into her side pocket, she quickly stood to find herself face to face with Commander Refla.

 

His face was puce. "What do you think you're doing, Trustee Coronis?" he thundered.

 

Max hesitated, not sure how exactly she should reply, when Commander Refla's face lost its angry expression and his eyes rolled up in the back of his head. His bulky body slumped to the ground, revealing Conn standing behind him, a newly empty syringe in hand. The sandy-haired doctor gave Max a look.

 

"Now we've done it..." he muttered softly.

[steven]

"Good point," Jack replied as they get inside the shuttle. "You know this shuttle have 50% above the average performance rating above your average freighter?" Jack asked in a mockary sales man voice as he sat down and began to fiddle around with several knobs and leaves on the computer interface.

[starmark2k]

"Well this thing was made for stealth and manoeuvrability.” Nic stated. “But we don’t have any weapons so if we are noticed we’ll need you to bring you’re a-game to the table and fly rings around any imp.”

 

Nic looked back behind him to make sure Oliver and Jana were fine and strapped into the seats. “OK Goren get this bird moving.”

[Rogue Nine]

"Max, whatever you just nicked from the commander's office better be worth all this trouble," Conn whispered urgently.

 

The short Lorrdian inmate turned to glance at Conn as they walked side-by-side down the hallway. Behind them, two stormtroopers were supporting the unconscious Commander Refla, his arms thrown over their shoulders as they dragged him behind the doctor and the trustee. "You're awfully jittery for a doctor, Conn," Max whispered back, nudging him in the ribs.

 

He snorted lightly as they rounded the corner and approached the medbay. "Well excuse me for being a little nervous that we were caught red-handed in his office and I had to pump him full of enough sedative to knock out a fully-grown bantha," he retorted.

 

She grinned at him with that reckless, carefree grin he'd become accustomed to seeing these past few days. "Thanks for the save, that was pretty good thinking," she said as they entered the cool, sterile medbay.

 

Conn shook his head, then turned and gestured to the stormtroopers. "Put him on that bed over there," Conn told them, gesturing to a durasteel slab on the side wall. "Should come to soon, but I'd just like to run some tests on him."

 

The stormtroopers did as they were told. "Whatever doc," one of them said as they saluted and exited.

 

Conn grinned wryly. Clearly they had no great love for the pudgy commander. Pulling another syringe out of his medical cabinet, Conn filled it with a viscous clear liquid, then strode over to the sleeping Commander Refla and injected it into his veins. "Stuff should give him amnesia for a while," Conn told Max, who was sitting on his desk. "And like I said, I hope that this whole thing was worth it."

 

Max's eyes twinkled as she extracted a small credchip from her pocket. "Oh trust me, it is," she said. Glancing at the chrono on the wall, she hopped down and started for the door. "I'll tell you all about it once we're off this rock. Just let me know when you and your girlfriend are planning your little escape."

 

Conn reddened as she threw him a jaunty wave and exited.