Come Fly With Me

[Delila Castillon]

Alderaan | [member="Marina DeVoe"] | FWC Explorer Corps​

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First hearing of the Explorer Corps, Delila wasn't sure about how she was going to 'weasel' her way out of her job as the director over embassy security. Not that she wasn't thankful for the job. She had been basically homeless before the job landed in her lap. Most wouldn't bat an eye at being stationed on Coruscant, living in FWC housing, working in relative comfort.


However she was feeling the itch to do something different. Explorer Corps had been formed, a woman named Miss DeVoe seemed to be spearheading the project. Such projects typically needed a military type or two to keep an eye on the academics and diplomatic types. Director of Security, Davorak, didn't bat an eye when she told him her interest. Nor was she getting out of her current duties. Enter mad scramble to put more pressure on her second and third in commands at each Embassy.


Getting a spare moment, Dells made her way to Alderaan to meet Miss DeVoe and learn about future plans. Maybe take a trip. It was a bit up in the air in her opinion. Naturally safety and security was on her mind, perhaps Miss DeVoe wanted to pick her brain for opinions.


The redhead stopped on the landing platform, staring out at the mountains.Such a better sight than the duracrete jungle of Coruscant.

 

[Marina DeVoe]

"All ready to go, Tiger?" Marina turned from her packing to her grandfather's voice. He had personally overlooked the preventive maintenance on the Mariner IV, at the family home estate hangar.
House DeVoe was located on Mt Cetril in Northern Alderaan which overlooked the pass to the Aeiden Mountains. The family home had been first erected as an outpost following the completion of terra forming a new Alderaan, over 450 years ago.

"I've got to admit, I'm both anxious and reserved on this venture, grandpa." Marina zipped up her pack and met him at her door.

"Don't fret over the details. She's just a girl like you, Tiger....only meaner." Her grandfather joked.
"No... it'll be alright. Think of this officer like one of ours, like captain Dezi. You've become fellow die-hard skiers, no...friends, as I recall."

"Yea, but she's Alderaanean...this one's-..." She caught herself. She knew better.
"I mean, she isn't going to understand... or like the idea of pairing with a pasifist as they seem to call us." Marina followed her grandfather out of the family living quarters.

"Your father don't understand either..still he's still proud of what you stand for." He reminded her.

"Has dad said anything about this to you?" She asked.
"Only that he's proud. Confided in me that it was about time." He chuckled.
"Didn't have the heart to tell him the Queen is on your side on this." He were meaning that her father, Duke Kyle DeVoe, who had taken up a military standpoint was under the impression his daughter had dropped her pacifist thinking and joined the Explorer Corp to help with the coalition’s fight for free worlds.

But on the contrary, the meeting with the Queen revealed that Marina was someone she wanted inside the Corps to keep Alderaan’s core values intact. The Queen herself was a traditionalist, like Marina but she had a duty to support and lead the Great Houses in their quest to defend Alderaan and support the Free World Coalition. And that meant fortifying and strengthening their military.

Marina on the other hand was a true Alderaanean pacifist, believing that peace could be gotten without bloodshed. For Marina to condone bloodshed, it meant that her ancestors and millions of Alderaaneans that had perished that day under Palpatine’s reign had all died in vain. For her ancestral spirit burned within her to keep to the core values of peace without bloodshed.

“So you haven’t told him that I’m under the Queen’s internship to watch over that our core values don’t diminish to the military?” She spoke as he accompanied her to the family hangars.
“I’m his father…I don’t have to tell him anything.” They arrived to the Mariner IV’s hangar. It were enclosed for there was snow falling outside.

Marina hugged her grandfather and went up the ramp. There the ship’s RU droid greeted her.
“I trust you have the systems up and running for me, TK?”
Sure he had, and the ship was as ready as it could be for the small flight to Alderaa. There she were to pick up a coalition officer, as it had been arranged by her Queen, and spearhead a joint military/civilian expedition to the Uncharted Sectors of the Galaxy...

The Mariner moved out of the hangar and with clearance from her on-board proximity sensors the snowy skies were open for her to take off. The windows were equipped with anti fog/icing, but there was still zero visibility. Marina flew the Mariner IV along the ridge-line of the Aeiden mountains on instruments, until she cleared the storm. Then it were just a mach-3 flight to Alderaa. The Mariner IV skimmed the lower atmosphere at a low altitude of 100,000 feet. After all, it were just an intercontinental 20 minute flight to Alderaa, no need to break atmosphere to just then descent.

As her instruments indicated she were approaching Alderaa, Marina suddenly realized that although she knew of the Coalition officer’s name, she had not asked of her rank.
“Oh great, Marina… lets go in with foot in mouth...” she uttered to herself.
This little detail had slipped Marina to ask the Queen. It was very unlike her, being a Duke’s daughter to not know proper ranks of persons whom she were to associate with. Well, that applied to proper daughters of the court…Marina’s father often argued his daughter’s disposition on his doctrines. But her grandfather thought different nowadays. He too was a traditionalist at heart but before he stepped aside for his son to take Head of House, he too took up arms for it were his duty to do so for New Alderaan, despite his own traditional beliefs that blood must never be spilled in pursuit of peace. For blood spilled for peace, would stain it’s essence.

“Mariner IV approaching Alderaa space port, over…” She opened up the comm to the control authority.
They had been tracking her and knew her destination, welcoming her to the port.
“Thank you control…making my approach to landing port 7....” She confirmed her arranged destination.

The Mariner had decreased her supersonic speed at 100,000 feet so as not to come down on Alderaa with a sonic boom. Rather, she pretty much performed a smooth one point landing.
With a hiss, the ship’s ramp extended down and Marina got up out of her chair. TK-1213 her ship’s droid which reactivated every time the ship landed, came up the corridor to meet marina as she left the cockpit.
“Keep the engines running, TK…” She said, passing the droid on her way to exit the ship.

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Marina DeVoe"] [[ OOC - Apologies for a late reply, I had some RL issue crop up. ]]



She quickly found her way off the landing platform when a vessel was coming in for a landing. There was a bit of mental chastising for lollygagging on the platform when ships were landing. It was a quick way to get oneself killed in a short amount of time. Mind drifts back to the person she was supposed to be meeting. A woman, blonde hair, some type of worker in the Royal House. Delila had found it interesting so far that a member of the Royal House would be meeting about the Explorer Corps. Probably some poor intern sent to collect information and relay it back to the Queen herself.


Turning around at the sound of a ramp lowering, Delila thought it odd the ship would be left running. Typically meant for someone looking to make a quick exit. Military instincts kicked in, wanting to see the person coming down to the platform. There wasn't a long wait, a blonde woman was making her way down. Perhaps the one she was supposed to meet.


"Hello there."


Delila gave a small wave. Alderaan was relatively safe. Still....

 

[Marina DeVoe]

"Well, hello..." Marina replied, eyes trying to make out the woman. It were difficult to say from where she stood as the Alderaani sun was pretty much silhouetting the person. All that Marina could conjure up were that she was in athletic form.

The sun lit Marina's features full frontal and it weren't till she had stepped off the durasteel ramp and withing handshake that the woman's features came into full detail.
Marina extended out her hand, making pretty much the assumption that this was the [member="Delila Castillon"] she were to team up for the Coalition's first Exploratory mission.
She said, extending her hand.
It were a bit trying, as Marina knew that the Delilia Castillon had served her entire career in the military and no doubt had logged in many piloting hours. .. perhaps even in a few campaigns.
So for one with such military experiences to have a civilian pilot partnered with, was kind of playing through marina's mind. Still, it wasn't that Marina had little or no skills flying. She was twelve when she were buzzing the Mother Queen's palace.

But first impressions, or rather, first assignments were daunting to begin with and this was Marina's first assignment as far as serving her Queen and doing her part for the Coalition...in the manner of her capacity. Marina standing there with her hand extending out to an experienced military officer, was a Traditionalist. Her views were that of old and to many, the type of thinking that had left old Alderaan defenseless and annihilated in a single attack centuries ago under Palpatine's reign.
The majority of Alderaani including her father, kept to the core of peace, but backed it with military defenses. Marina in contrast kept to the old traditions of peace without bloodshed. To Marina, her ancestors had not died at all in vain for their beliefs. Their deaths ultimately sparked more systems to resist such tyranny.

It were this mix of pacifism and militaristic ideologies that these two were coupled together. In theory, they were to achieve a balance.
Perhaps they were not only the first to spearhead a venture for the Coalition's Exploratory Corps, but having two different ideologies on the same mission....an experiment.

Their hands met in a handshake, and Marina presented a genuine smile. God she hopped this was Delila Castelon...otherwise it were her first blooper of the day.

 

[Delila Castillon]

Alright, the person had greeted her in return. Was it [member="Marina DeVoe"] ?If not she was about to look like a fool despite the other person being equally friendly. The sun was shining bright and the redhead couldn't take in the features of the other until their hands met, drawing them closer together. The woman had blonde hair and a brilliant smile that looked as if it belonged in the Royal House. One of those overly helpful, overly cheery types. Of course she could be wrong.


Firm handshake, Delila offered her own small smile.


"Miss DeVoe? If I have to hazard a guess."

 

[Marina DeVoe]

" Yes, Queen Organa's intern...none other... " Marina replied lightheartedly, not cloaking the fact that she were in fact green, as it concerned her being an official diplomat.

This meant the only experience Marina could be construed as bringing to this mission was that she didn't get space sick. But whether she had or didn't have experience in diplomacy, it sometimes mattered little to high ranking military personnel. This came from experience in reading her own father's military advisers, whom Marina picked up as believing diplomats are good at circumventing immediate actions with stonewalling and compromising...to name a few.

"And you must be [member="Delila Castillon"] " Firm enough handshake to back up her presence, but not demanding authority.

" I have to say, it's a pleasure to meet someone from the FWC." Marina got a quick chance to admire the woman's demeanor, as Delila weren't standing out like she had already established lead role. Not that Marina would have minded, as she never saw herself over anyone, but it were a good feeling she were having over the woman. It were something along the lines that at least this FWC officer would give her the same chance she herself always gave others, in provig her right, that they were indeed good minded individuals with their own unique abilities. After all, it was what made their species so diversified. They were not like insect based entities who functioned with very few diverse roles that made up a single working colony.
They were human...each capable of unique and surprising innovations...and at their worse times.

"...my only interactions with anyone from the FWC... have to embarrassingly admit, have been in more social and civil manners..." Naturally she were implying high military delegates visiting House DeVoe and social functions, such as Balls..etc.

In her openness and honesty, one could readily construe that Marina was by all means and measure...a princess. And that was not to say that she didn't come on as friendly and as thus, maybe naive. But that were what most who didn't know her would first assume. It weren't Marina's motive to lead people to think that, but she did fit the bill, if one were to stereotype. And all humans were prone to do that, upon first impressions..including herself, if she didn't keep it in check.
But somehow or other, as they shook hands, Marina felt that Delila had met her as open minded as she had come.

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Marina DeVoe"]


"No need to apologize, although I am disappointed for yourself. If I'm the first FWC contact outside of a social situation, well, don't decide on how the FWC acts based on just myself. I've never met anyone from House DeVoe or many in Alderaan politics so it seems we are on even footing."


Eyes drifted over to the still running ship. Miss DeVoe was 'in charge' or 'running' the Explorer Corps as far as she was concerned. Delila was merely here to offer security advice, perhaps work out an agreement to have some security personnel rotate through the Corps to provide some ease of mind.


Perhaps a bit of an exchange program even.



"Your vessel is still running. I assume we are boarding? I'm ready to depart once you are."

 

[Marina DeVoe]

Fair and straightforward enough to warrant Marina to unconsciously give Dalila a double look.
It would have been awkward to say the least if marina had not given the officer a rightful acknowledgement of that true statement.
"Well...said." She replied.
"Seems there's a lot more to discover than what lies beyond the tail end of a hyper-jump." She were meaning that getting to know Delila was just as rewarding as mapping out new systems.

It were then that the officer pointed out that her ship, The Mariner IV was still in ready launch. Had Marina thought that the FWC officer she were to meet would be at the ready too..to embark immediately?
No need to place a bet on it, as it were a sure thing. Marina had been somewhat briefed by the Queen. Not in any pertinent detail other than that Delila Castilon was not one to dilly dally and procrastinate. If the officer was there to meet her, the Queen had assured Marina that she would waste no time.

Marina looked back and up toward her ship's cockpit. The small outline of her droid's dome told her that it was indeed monitoring her and the ship's new guest, and as instructed kept the Mariner IV in ready launch.
"Truth be told, I had been informed that you have efficianized most of the FWC's new embassies. I had not wanted to waste any more time than necessary to get us underway." Marina gave some valid reason as to why her ship had not powered down.

"I'm all packed and ready to go...and I can hail a porter and have him fetch your bags to board, Delila...if you don't mind me calling you that. Actually, I won't mind if you wish to be addressed by rank...until we do away with formalities..." It were just quick suggestions, but valid enough, as there were no evidense of Delila's military tour bags in sight.
It were rare for any military personnel to go on any excursions foreign or domestic without their field packs and lockers for extended missions. And if they weren't going to bump into a star or something substantial on their first jump, then chances were they would be out there for quite some time.

 

[Delila Castillon]

Delila blinked a few times as she took in [member="Marina DeVoe"] . The blonde woman seemed mildly surprised she was ready to get on and get moving. Why else was the vessel kept running? Delila was fairly practical and tended to observe the surroundings. Old military habit, one that was serving her well in her role in working towards Alderaan's security.


"I wouldn't say I have made anything efficient. Just important to keep security a priority. Especially considering the nature of royalty in this government."


Head inclined back towards the entrance to the large administrative building the vessel had docked at. She had chose the location for its ease. It was large and most would be able to find it, obviously. Delila had dumped her bags just inside a hallway. There wasn't much in the way of petty crime in the area and it would be quite obvious if someone stole military bags.


"I'll grab them. Just Delila is fine. No rank. I'll be back with you in a moment."


Redhead went back towards the glass doors, reaching in. Rucksack was grabbed, along with a duffle bag. Rucksack straps on her shoulders, a large blaster rifle was added to one shoulder. Delila wasn't going into the great unknown without a decent weapon.


"Ready to move out."


Booted feet continued to move towards the ramp, up into the vessel.

 

[Marina DeVoe]

"Sure thing...Will stand here and wait.." Marina replied as Delila took no time in retrieving her ...backpacks? My they were..packed. and, was that a ... sigh...yes it was.
Marina simply smiled and nodded, when Delila came back, fully carrying everything and not looking like she were struggling on bit. Hell, Marina knew she'd most likely would have made three arduous trips to get all that in her ship.

Her heart had sank down, all the way down to her abdomen, and for a moment thoughts of a visit to the refresher ran through her mind. She couldn't help but size up the rifle as it passed her. But she sucked it up. Marina had agreed and with an understanding that she were being paired up with one of the best the FWC had to offer and spare, Marina's personal beliefs, would have to find a compromise.

She stood there not following immediately, giving Delila space...room to breathe.
'Beep, beep..BEEP...BEEP... went off her wrist comm. It were her R unit hailing frantically from inside the Mariner IV.

"TK..what is it?" She remained below answering her droid.

"Huh?...say what?- ...what are you beeping about.............. an armed woman-
Oh..Oh,no, no,no...TK...TK, listen to me.......it's...sigh....it's fine. It's fine..." She repeated, not really feeling it, but she had to make provisions and compromises.

"It's our guest......yes, Delila Castelon....right.... it's all...fine." She closed the channel.

After all, how could she impose her standards to someone when she herself many times went against standards. Then again, they were an odd couple paired to work together. It would stand to reason that they would be able to work out their differences and perhaps arrive at a medium where both would learn and benefit from the other.

Marina took a deep breath and went up her ship's ramp. She were just two meters behind Delila when she caught up to her. It were no surprise that the officer knew herself around the Loronar built craft, her ship, as it had originally been designed as a Republic Scout ship. Only that the Mariner IV had been decommissioned of weapons. Marina wondered if Delila were aware of that. Even so, she made a mental note to bring it up sooner than later. but maybe not so soon.

"Ahem...Your cabin Delila..." She spoke getting the woman's attention to where she were standing.
"It's this one. It's the other larger suite...refresher room... holo console...double size berth...escape pod." Yes, Marina accentuated 'escape pod', in her sales pitch, which immediately made her want to bite her own tongue off for stereotyping...or so.

"I mean, it's not closet size like the other cabins down around the center hub..." She pointed down the corridor. "That's the expanded galley, by the way..." It were right down the corridor before the center hub.

"Besides, it's next to the cockpit. I thought you may want easy access to...to..the uhm... the cockpit."
Wow..she had not thought about a welcome aboard speech. But she hopped Delila would accept the executive cabin, as it were right across from hers. And both had identical amenities.

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Marina DeVoe"]



Delila had read in the briefing that Miss DeVoe might be opposed to violence. All violence and that apparently included arms and various weapons judging by the look on the womans face. In a way, despite her nature, Delila wasn't keen on shooting or killing anyone. Reality of the situation was in space no one could hear you scream. No one was coming to your rescue. Marina was of House DeVoe. This made her a high profile target. One that could easily get killed.


Bags were put in the cabin and Dells stuck the blaster rifle under the berth, hiding it away. Contrary to what Miss DeVoe (probably) thought, there was no need to wave it around when it wasn't in use. Miss DeVoe was giving the grand tour, explaining the benefits of the larger cabin close to the cockpit and vessel controls.


"Closet size wouldn't have bothered me but I appreciate the central location. Just in case. Thank you."


Head nodded to the cabin nearby her own.


"You stay across the hall so to speak? Just in case something happens I'd like to know. Not that anything will, Miss DeVoe. Just safety precautions, which is why I'm here."

 

[Marina DeVoe]

Marina gave her an acknowledging nod, keeping her smile, as Delila finished off with why she were here.
But from what Marina had understood from her meeting with the queen, the pairing of her and a coalition officer weren't based on having her need someone watching over her..no. This was a joint effort in getting civilian and military to work together towards one common goal.

Marina knew better than to bring this up right at this moment. They would have plenty of time when they were on their way to discuss roles. And as far as Marina was concerned, they would both be on equal terms..she wasn't going to be over Delila. That notion was ridiculous. They both were picked for obvious reasons by her queen and the coalition.

Marina's quick explanation of the living quarter floor layout was simple. And so as not to take up Delila's time, Marin touched one of the media panels on the wall as she spoke and the upper living quarters of the Mariner IV came up.

This of course was more self explanatory than Marina taking her around as a house guest showing her apartment or something of the kind.

"I'll have TK..that's my RU ship droid give you complete access to the ship and functions." She then said, letting Delila know she had the same level of access to her ship and functions. She figured what better way to let Delila know that she gave not only her trust, but complete confidence that she could operate the Mariner IV.
She figured Delila may appreciate it in a manner that if something were to happen to her, that Delila could take full control of the ship anytime.

Naturally as she said TK, her droid came out of the cockpit and to her side.

The little droid had picked up on their conversations and gave what sounded like a worried low beep.

"TK-1213"....yes, she named her droid with stormtrooper call ID.

"...this is Delila Castillon...." She figured go with proper intro, as she were after all a Duke's daughter. The droid seemed to interrupt her as she was speaking with beeps and high pitched sounds.

"TK..enough... it's her property. Don't bring this up anymore...sigh."

Ok, from the top.
"TK, this Delila Castillon from the FWC...she's an officer and highly trusted by Queen Organa and..me. Give her full access to the ship and full command over you."

Beep-bee-..be-be-bepeep-peep! Beep!

Marina lightly tapped her boot on one of it's drive arms to pipe it down. "Full access!..now go get recharged.....now, TK!"

The droid's turret looked from Marina to Delila to Marina again and with a low sounding beep backed up, turned and headed to it's own bay down the corridor.

"Ahem...he likes your hair." What else could she do but make light of her argument with what should be her subordinate.

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Marina DeVoe"]


"Don't worry, I will only take control of the vessel in an extreme circumstance. Nor will I be bossing you around TK, not my style."


Her desire to fly was extremely low. Just because she could didn't mean she should, wasn't the best pilot in the universe. The little droid TK seemed to have a handle on everything, bossy as the little creature was. Mixed up circuits? Needing a memory wipe? She had encountered many a droids but this one had an intense...er...personality. The redhead had no desire to boss around the droid or anyone else on the ship. Technically she was lowest in rank structure on the vessel. Wasn't hers. No need to bark out orders.


"So if this is about the blaster rifle its stowed away safely. Safety on. Won't be taken out unless we're fired upon."


Dells also had her blaster deep in her backpack. It was her typical hold-out one, usually worn around without batting an eye on her thigh holster. At this point it wouldn't be wise to keep that quiet as well.


"I can leave it but it's an expensive weapon and I would prefer not to."

 

[Marina DeVoe]

her heart sank, as she had not anticipated her droid to put her in a spot like this. But the blame she had to swallow, for she had not anticipated the droid would bring up what she had instructed it to do years ago. Damn droid and their memories, she cursed the gods. Unless they were edited, standing orders on droids remained for the entire service life.

"It's just how he's picked up my demeanor concerning weapons... over the years...sorry... " She said apologetically. marina had not wanted such conversations such as this so early on. It just made for a harder climb uphill in getting to know this officer.

"It shouldn't concern you how his initial perception of you boarding the ship with weapons is, Delila...please.
He's just picked up on my demeanor about them." She gave a glance to the droid receding down the corridor.

"I can't ..won't dictate my personal beliefs on you, Delila. I have no inception of changing who you are or wish to change anything but the divide between us if it so exists." Ok, so once she started talking it were difficult to stop until she got it all out.

"I'd rather know you than deep-six you for being different than me..." Which of course, marina rarely did on their level.
But have her in the presence of sith or Imperials, then it became difficult to fight the prejudice that welled inside her for those sentients.

The droid had disappeared down the corridor, as instructed by Marina. She made a mental note to talk to it, about putting aside what it perceived of her earlier mandate on bringing weapons on board. Before, she were just trafficking civilians and goods. Now with her involvement with the FWC, she realized there would be more military or similarly armed personnel that she'd have to welcome on board. marina realized she'd have to make concessions.

This however didn't change her core. Only it made her have to understand how to be more resilient in achieving the same goals.

"...I'm learning as I go, concerning the FWC.
Do know that I have grown up surrounded by cannons and sentries. I've toured with my father the Northern defense outposts. I understand his reasoning for such armaments. I believe it had deterred many forces from attacking Alderaan.
And in turn; my father understands me in believing in the spirit of my ancestors..'Peace without Bloodshed'.
Alderaan had once perished under those beliefs...but to fully allow to militarize New Alderaan and the galaxy would make those who perished before us in the name of peace, have sacrificed their lives in vain.
I owe then the voice. It is my own belief and I will not impose it on you, Delila....I won't. This I can give you my word on."
There, she said it...her word were given. It may not have any meaning to the officer currently, but in time it would.

"Ahem...Marina DeVoe..." she offered her hand out again. " ...pacifist...and open minded. One who'd like it very much if we should become friends by journey's end"

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Marina DeVoe"]



"You should never defend yourself for being a pacifist nor should you ever have to justify your beliefs. I'm not out to sway any minds or make a case one way or another."


Delila wouldn't care if the woman was so pacifist that she didn't even swat at mosquitoes. The little droid didn't seem to happy about being ordered to leave. No doubt they would give one another space. Dells didn't feel like upsetting the little droid more than it already was. Some R2 units could be a little....aggressive and she had no intentions of being on the receiving end.


She reached out and shook the hand offered.


"I have no doubts we'll get along great during our journey. Lets get underway, shall we? Unless we are waiting on another party?"

 

[Marina DeVoe]

The second handshake were conclusive. It had conviction of a mutual understanding. Both were not out there to either change the other nor challenge them. This was going to work, as they both were as similar in their resolve as they were in their personal conviction as to how to go about changing the galaxy for the better. They were in many ways perfectly paired, for they represented the diversity of those whom seeked the same end result...real peace among the free systems of the galaxy.

"Then it is settled... " Marina beamed a smile, nodding to Delila, concerning their views and mutual respect for the other.

"I'll get us underway...." It were also understood that they would be the only ones paired for now.
"The first jump has already been calculated." There were no other last minute additions to their mission. Marina didn't have to say it, it were understood that Delila had said it in meaning she were as ready to get going as Marina.

"If you wish, get settled down, and by the time you unpack we shall be in open space...heading to the first jump coordinate"
The Mariner IV didn't require for Delila to be in the cockpit, as it could easily bee flown with just one pilot. The droid could co-pilot, but again was not necessary. It's function was to maintain ship functions at optimum efficiency. That and be able to perform repairs to not only the ship but to just about anything mechanical or small structure.

Marina got down and busy and wasted no time in hermetically sealing the Mariner IV, getting clearance from control and taking the Mariner up and past the system's traffic zones. There she would pilot the ship to the first calculated jump point, then make the actual jump once the ship locked in the angle.
Marina looked over to one of the protected monitor images of Alderaan receiding behind them. The ship was moving on sub-light engines out of the system and quickly approaching the jump point.
The Mariner's hyperdrive engines were primed and ready to engage.

....3....2....1.... * * * * * * *********** The stars burst all around.

Marina sat back and put the ship on auto pilot. It didn't require her to be in there, until it were signaled that they were going to come out of the jump.
She dimmed the cockpit windows where the hyper-tunnel were not so intense.

To reach the Uncharted Regions, the ship would have to make a few jumps for optimal efficiency. Marina had it all calculated and the Mariner, although it had originally been designed as an Explore vessel it had been modified with high efficiency hype-rdrives capable of .9 hyper-speed. This made the Mariner IV faster than an X-Wing by comparisons.

"Hmm.... think best I get the little bugger up front for now..." She spoke to herself as she turned her chair to get up.

"TK... come baby sit for me?" She chuckled to self, but said it over the comm in a commanding tone.

The droid in no time got to the cockpit as Marina was exiting it.

"Keep an eye out on...the ship's functions.
We'll discuss a few things when i get a chance.."

It beeped it's Ok and entered the cockpit as she slipped past it.
Marina was in the corridor when she spotted Delila up ahead in the galley.

 

[Delila Castillon]

Delila didn't see much of a reason to unpack but went to the cabin anyways. Her bags were fairly organized for the trip and undoing all her hard work seemed pointless. Besides, never knew when one had to jump ship and leave quickly. Seemed to happen more times while she was on board than not. Bag opened and she drug out her datapad.


If this was any other type of flight Delila would sit in the cockpit and type away, keeping ahead of her 'real' work while also keeping an eye on the current job at hand. It was more or less at a crossroad here. The R2 unit seemed a bit...vocal. Probably didn't need to make it any more vocal in her time on board.


With a shrug she went to sit in the lounge. Centrally located enough to keep an ear out for any mishaps.

 

[Marina DeVoe]

"Hey there..." Marina said,coming out of the corridor and into the open galley where Delila were seen sitting.

Marina noted the fact that the woman was on her holopad and had already made herself a brew of sort.
So she went over to the serving counter and spun the variety carousel, picking one for herself."Thought I'd make some stimcaf" She said, not really looking to disrupt Delila, at whatever task she were doing.
Although it were killing her to strike up a conversation with the woman. After all, they were going to spend some time working together and marina was certain they'd become pretty good friends. But that would take getting to know one another better. And what better way to start than respect one's space?

She made her stimcaf and was about to sit herself down with the intention of just drinking her stimcaf when her droid beeped her.
It informed her that there was an incoming message for her from her father. Marina thought it strange, but nevertheless got up to get back to the cockpit and answer it. Her father rarely messaged her.

Upon opening the link, she discovered it were certainly her father, but he were transmitting on behalf of the Council. It seemed they were to pick up another member of the party...a jedi on Coruscant.
Upon terminating the transmission, marina and TK-1213 got busy bringing up the star maps and analyzing their current position in hyperspace and the location of Coruscant.
The droid had picked up on what had been discussed concerning picking up a new team member and was in tune with what Marina was currently doing. And that was looking at an optimal dropout of their current course and re-angleling for a new corrected trajectory to the system of Coruscant.

In no time the two of them were checking various points and angles, they came up with an optimum course change. They were to drop out in 1 hour 43 minutes 22 seconds at point 76yfe8tff4t7hfhih9887 and travel at sub-light to point 76yfe8tff4t7hfhih2821 to re-angle the Mariner IV for a new calculated trajectory to Coruscant.

"Ok, everything looks good....plot the new points and I'll go and inform Delila of the course change and pick up of our additional crew member." Marina satisfied with the new calculations had her droid lock them in the nav comp while she went and updated Delila of the new change of plans. It were certainly an unscheduled stop over, but it only added a few hours to their original destination to the Uncharted regions.

It had been necessary for them to drop out and re-angle the ship as their trajectory was at an acute angle to Coruscant and at that short a jump, no ship could correct its trajectory trough hyperspace at that short of a jump. The Mariner IV had to literally hang a sharp left to change course for Coruscant. It was a no brainer to safely drop out, re-angle and jump to the system.

* * * * * * * *​

​

Countdown to sytem Coruscant.... 4....3....2....1...0 ** * * * * * *
The Mariner dropped out of hyperspace into system Coruscant.

Naturally, due to the heavy traffic in the system, the Mariner IV had dropped out safely 1.2 million miles distant from the planet. Using its sub-light engines Marina piloted in through the multi tier commerce and orbital space lanes, before reaching what traffic control gave a green light on entering the system's atmosphere and once again through its heavy air traffic. Marina were following the GPS coordinates that her father had transmitted to her as to where the jedi was to meet them for a pick-up.

"Yes, I see it TK..." She made for the open platform on the level below the heavier commerce ships. It were pretty close to where they were to pick up the jedi. She set her ship down and waited, extending her boarding ramp out.

"Nope...don't know how long we're going to wait for Jedi [member="Iona Immarya"] . Let's shut the engines down and just have auxiliaries on."

 

[Iona Immarya]

Iona tapped her foot impatiently as the tram sped through the massive docks, even pressed on all sides by the mass of people on the tram trying to get to where they needed, she found a way to show her extreme impatience with the speed of the supersonic tram system, well, it wasn't the tram's fault. No, it was Master T'Chiun's fault for his overly drawn out discussion on the finer applications of Force Persuasion and the possible repercussions multiple uses could have on the sentient minds.. or something, she had dozed off fairly early into the discussion, okay, so maybe, just maybe, part of the fault rested with her. 'Good job, Iona, how do you make a wonderful first impression with people? Being late because you took a nap,' she fumed as she toyed with her ponytail, letting the thick red hair roll through her fingers.

As the tram came to a stop and the doors opened, Iona took off in a sprint, in her wake were many, many, angry people that she had shoved past, blocked or, otherwise, impeded. Her light duffel bag containing a few spares of robes, among other things, in varies states of poor repair, boucning against her back as she ran. The crowds of the spaceport had nothing on the crowds of the lower-city. As her body danced and weaved through the crowd, her mind ran back over the task, she was adding members of the Free Worlds Coalition as part of the Republic Remnant to foster good will and what not, why in the world anyone thought she was the one who should do that was beyond her, but who was she to argue with them? She was getting to explore. Explore! To see new worlds, worlds that may have never been discovered! What planets, people, animals, landscapes awaited out there? What wonders would she be the first to see? The comely world of Ciomia had been a wonder onto itself compared to the megacity monstrosity that was Coruscant.. people spoke of worlds covered in nothing but vegetation, sand, snow, Snow! She couldn't wait to see snow! But, of course, that meant she had to be in space, a lot of time in space. That rather cheery thought already had bile threatening to raise in the back of her throat, but she fought it down. It would all be worth it. At least, she really hoped it would be.

As Iona neared the location, her hair damp from sweat from her rather intense run, she started to slow down to a trot as she examined the signs for the one she as supposed to go to before she found it. Her had stopped inches away from the doors activation pad as it hit her, she was about to board a ship with important people to undertake an important mission. Her. Iona. She wasn't even the best padawan. She was, well, she was in the top half. Probably. They could be nobles from Alderaan. Oh, she hoped they weren't, they would probably be rich snobs who talked about how much more cultured they were then her. They would talk about stuff that... nobles talked about, okay, so she didn't know what they talked about but it was probably dull and cultured! Iona let her head rest against the cold metal door and took a few deep breaths to try and calm her nerves. It was semi-successful. With one, final breath for her shaky resolve, she slapped the panel and opened the doors.

The door slid open to reveal the ship.. of a make and model that she had no idea of. Iona hated ships, with a passion, and so never bothered to learn anything about them. You had the fast ones, the not as fast ones and the really big ones that said someone was trying to compensate for something. This one looked fast, so she would put it in that category. Her eyes fell to the pair before it, a small droid and a blond woman, who looked way more impressive then how Iona felt. She was a noble, she had to be a noble.

Iona walked across the vast metal hanger, her backs straight, her chin up, and her blue eyes locked onto the pair as she closed the distant. Once she was a few feet away, she slowly let her duffle bag slid down her shoulder and set it next to her feet. She starred at the pair for a second.. then two before erupting into a near incoherent babble of excitement and nerves, "Its-nice-to-meet-you-I'm-Iona-you-have-pretty-clothes-are-you-a-noble-Of-course-you're-a-noble-I-mean-look-at-you-I'm-so-happy-to-be-here-where-are-we-going-is-it-just-you?"

Iona took a deep breath, gave a small smile as way of apology and started again, "Hi, I'm Iona Immarya, Jedi Padawan, its nice to meet you."

 

[Marina DeVoe]

Be de beep be deep...

"What?
....what do you mean she left?.....
Who left?" Marina thought for a moment that Delila had disembarked the Mariner to perhaps stretch her legs or get something to eat in the local eateries.

After all, this was Coruscant. One could pretty much get anything available to eat in the galaxy.
Still, it didn't stop Marina's curiosity and the fact that she hadn't head the woman leave, stop her from looking back out of the cockpit and toward the galley. Lord and behold, Delila was there making tea or something, Marina couldn't make it out.

"What's wrong with you, she's still on board!" Marina was now beginning to wonder if the droid was malfunctioning. It had been acting perculiar, ever since they picked up Delila on Alderaan.

But no, it weren't Delila that the droid was talking about, it were the jedi whom they were to meet here.
"She walked past our pad? Where to?" Marina asked. "How do you know it was her?"

The droid projected a hologram of the young jedi, as it had been attached in the transmission from the Council in the middle of their jump, just before they re-routed to Coruscant.

"Oh?.. and you're saying you spotted her.... and she just...what, scooted on by us?"

Sure enough in its own way, the droid said just that. Then it turned its turret and came close to the port-side glass rocking about indicating the same jedi was talking to someone in the next docking bay.
"Ok, Ok...move, let me see..." Marina scooted TK out of the way and peered out the port side.

"Hmm... show me her hologram again." TK once more projected the image "Pull in on her features...yea right there, more, stop!"
She compared the two and sure enough that was her jedi. But what was she doing taking up time talking to the other woman and her droid out there? Were it somehow her family and her mother was maybe seeing her off?

"What?...what do you mean she's lost? You can pick up their conversation?"
Yes, the droid certainly could, as it could link itself up with the ship's exterior sensors.

"I see...sigh...
Ok, stay put and fire up the engines,TK.
I'll go see if maybe she's got the wrong ship..." Marina said, before turning to head out of the cockpit. How could a jedi get lost on Coruscant, she puzzled over what TK had said.

Getting out of the ship meant passing Delila.
"She's here...our jedi. Be back in like 5." she informed Delila as she headed out and down the ramp of the Mariner.

As she approached the two women, it were obvious that the girl..the jedi had mistaken the elder woman for her. Perhaps the R5 unit the woman had working on her corvette class ship must have thrown the jedi off thinking it was Marina and her droid. That could do it, she guessed.

"Ahem..." Marina cleared her throat, making her presence known.
"Hello there.... I was just wondering...you wouldn't be looking for the Mariner IV?...an Explorer class ship?" Marina smiled to the elder woman, who somehow seemed relieved that she could go back to work on the corvette.

"I'm Marina DeVoe...I think you must be [member="Iona Immarya"]?"