Private First of Many Eclipses

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori walked down the ramp of her newest vessel, Jaster's Delight, with a small crate in her hands. It was full of a variety of items, most of them bits of hardware, wiring and tools. Slung over her shoulder was her jetpack "Ol' Sparky. She carried them down onto a couple of other larger crates and plopped it down in front.

Her eyes scanned the people that walked by momentarily, almost searching for someone or some type of gaze. In her line of work she was starting to pick up on different kinds of gazes; who were friends and who were foes, who were looking for intel and who was decieving her. She hated that she had to look at more than just what people presented themselves as. But that was the way that her life was now. Being the Face of the Eclipse Rebellion, the one known for killing Tacitus, she always had to be on guard.

Jaster's Delight was getting refueled, needed a break from flying, and it was about time that she reconfigured Ol'Sparky. She might need it in the coming mission and it had been a while since she had flown it. Flying always made her feel free. And right now she needed that. The Galaxy was getting smaller and smaller as the Eternal Empire expanded it's territory and her ability to go anywhere was diminishing. That was the price for being a freedom fighter however. There were sacrifices to make.

BB-610

 

[BB-610]

​

BB-610 is, and always will be, an Agent of Chaos. He was adopted by Scherezade into the organization from sheer generosity, he was assigned his first partner with fellow agent Bella, and he served under Admiral Lindzinsky's fleet. Which is good, he thinks, as the Agents are rather tightly intertwined with The Eternal Empire, so his inclusion in things Eternal Empire related are... less awkward for him. Despite all that, however, his loyalties with The Eternal Empire are far less intimate than with The Agents of Chaos.

He did not care which division he was assigned to. He did not hold any grudges of those in opposite divisions, nor did he have any issues with being labelled Rebel scum. BB-610 was a droid, and an astromech at that - he did not join divisions. He was assigned to them. Assigned to partners, assigned to tasks.

That isn't to say that he isn't loyal. You'd find many astromechs become attached and emotionally loyal to their owners if they were given the opportunity to. Of course, many were memory wiped before given that chance. But as the droid rolls through the space port belonging to The Eclipse Rebellion, he wants to make a good first impression. He hadn't been assigned to a specific partner, just the faction. So he scans the area with his photoreceptors, eyeing pilots and the like, wondering if any would give him the time of day.

One organic catches his interest, in the form of Loreena Arenais-Valhoun . BB-610 was sheltered from much of what the galaxy considered important, but even he had known of her importance. She was the match that kept the Rebellion aflame, after all. And how timely that she seemed occupied with tinkering with machinery - why, that was an astromech's specialty!

So BB-610 rolls on close to her - somewhat shy, now that she's closer. Hoh, was this a good idea? He got have a blip in his programming- no, no. He was going to do this. The droid inches closer, and closer, and a scared womp rat edging closer to food left lying for it.

' Would you like some assistance? ' he whirrs, binary low and steady. He analyses her crate for a split second, before focusing his optic on her. ' I can help with your starship. It is my primary function! ' the droid adds, trying to sound excited.

​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori chewed her bottom lip as she unscrewed the manifold cover, lifting the piece of metal off. She adjusted her seating position, now sitting cross-legged with Ol' Sparky on her lap. Now she started moving the wiring, clipping some to the side as she then dug in to get out one of the exhaust components.

Her attention was drawn away from her project as BB-610 rolled up. Lori raised her brows as a small smiled formed. He was so cute in that he seemed shy and excited all at once.

"Hi there. Are you looking for work?" Silly question, but she had to ask anyways.

 

[BB-610]

Her voice is startling! Perhaps because he is still unsure of how to properly communicate with those he hasn't spent a lot of time with. Regardless, she seems friendly enough, her smile being enough to calm his nerves [circuits?]. A tad calmer, BB-610 rolls over to her side, his cyan optic glued to her as the droid tilts his head curiously. Wordless, he moves his attention to the ship, performing a brief scan.

' Ah! I see you're wiring your vessel. Allow me- ' he bweeps, and soon, the astromech inches closer to the exposed wires. A panel opens, and his utility arm emerges, carefully plucking some wires and twisting them into position ever so delicately. He activates his flashlight, getting a better view of the inside of the jetpack's components, before a compartment atop his head opens to reveal a thin appendage, similar to his data probe. It feeds into a tiny, easy-to-miss socket inside the pack's panel, and he twirls his appendage in sync with the wires.

BB-610 is silent during the process, lasting for little over a minute, before he pulls away, content with the result. The astromech turns back to Loreena Arenais-Valhoun , turning his flashlight off and chirping happily. ' I tweaked your wiring! I also boosted your vessel's internal systems. It will now be much more stable during flight and overheat noticeably less. '

He wobbles excitedly, happy to help. ' Oh, I almost forgot! Organics tend to introduce themselves when meeting new acquaintances. My designation is BB-610! I am new to The Eternal Empire, though I have assisted them prior in the past. ' In a surprisingly human moment, the droid's utility arm re-emerges, and it extends before Loreena, offering a handshake. ' I hope you like my additions! '

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori watched in half amusement and half surprise as BB-610 took it upon himself to work on Ol' Sparky. She didn't try to stop him as the odds of the droid messing it all up was very small. Instead she just kept it in easy reach, holding onto the jetpack while he worked.

In no time at all, the little droid was done. "Wicked! That's just what I was going to do, but you're much more efficient." Lori was grinning ear to ear as she replaced the manifold covering and screwed it on tight.

That smile faded somewhat, however, when the little astromech told her that he was with the Eternal Empire. Her eyes darted about, looking more closely at the people that walked by. Unconsciously she shook the droids utility arm. "I'm Lori. You say that you work for the Eternal Empire? Did they send you here to find me?" As far as she knew, droids couldn't lie. It wasn't in their programming. Lori looked down to BB, with a hint of worry in her eyes. Did she have to hurry and escape here too?

 

[BB-610]

As the woman's joy fades from her face, BB-610 recoils, wondering if he'd done anything wrong. Oh. It's The Eternal Empire. With the tilt of his head, the droid shakes, his optic never leaving her eyes. ' No, I don't think so. The Eternal Empire is... confusing. Empress Ingrid is a member of my faction, The Agents of Chaos. ' he chirps. Such a naïve droid - he still has little to no concept on the grudges between factions and divisions and the like.

The astromech turns to look at those Loreena Arenais-Valhoun is eyeing, but turns back to her when he realises there's nothing out of the ordinary. ' I was assigned to The Eclipse Rebellion. My programming isn't to act on emotion or choose out of heart, it is to obey orders. And the Rebellion is my designation now. ' BB-610 adds, and he's curious as to what's gotten her so worked up. The Eternal Empire, to him, is merely a product of association, and the Eclipse Rebellion is a bi-product of it.

' I apologise if I caused you any worry! I assure you, if I was informed to locate you, I would have done so without making myself known. ' the droid says, glancing at her. There's a pang of guilt in him, strangely. Perhaps he should offer more services to remedy the situation. ' ... I can heighten your starship, too, if you wish? '

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori turned her attention back to BB-610 as he responded to her question. Agents of Chaos? She had heard of them a little, but hadn't run into them at all, as far as she was aware. And hearing that the Empress was a part of them was disconcerning.

A look of puzzlement arose as he said he was assigned to the Rebellion. "Who assigned you to the Rebels? You do realize that the Rebels are fighting AGAINST the Empire, don't you? I'm not even allowed in their space without running the risk of being arrested and executed. We're not on the same side as them." To the Empire she was the bad guy, the threat to their Imperial Order. But to others, she was a hero and protector of freedom.

 

[BB-610]

BB-610 listens attentively to Loreena Arenais-Valhoun . His head remains tilted, and his optic narrows, the closest sign of confusion an astromech could possibly make. He knew very little of the wars going on - his origins within The First Order had been long forgotten about after his programming, the only remaining memories being the remnants of code buried within his servos. The droid had spent much of his life wandering by his lonesome. For all intents and purposes, he was out of the loop. He was beginning to think that he was being taken advantage of.

' Yes, I see. History repeats itself. The Rebels against The Imperials. ' he answers with a series of whirrs. ' I was assigned by- ' the droid pauses. He recoils, looking toward the ground. ' I... have no recollection of the organic that assigned me. ' Strange. And worrying. The realisation dawns on him that he may have had his memory wiped - partially, of course.

The astromech doesn't know how to respond.

' I... want to help. At least. Allow my services. ' BB-610 rests upright, inching closer towards her. He knows not of Ingrid personally, but with her connection to The Agents of Chaos, his gears start turning. He can help them both, to unite them under a single cause. ' I want to liberate planets. I know that I am just a droid, just an astromech, who isn't programmed to act on feeling. But I want to help. '

His reasoning was genuine. He just had no idea what he was getting himself into.

​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori nodded a little in agreement. "History does repeat itself. Always. Much like how there'll always be a war between Jedi and Sith. It just....never ends. We just try to make the best out of the time we've got."

BB-610 had much more time than she did, however. Her Mom never made it to her 50's because of the wars. And her Dad never made it to his 60's. Would either her or her twin brother make it to their 30's?

The little astromech seemed to really want to help. Lori gave him a small smile and held out her hand. If the droid was closer, she'd cup his little face in her hands. But he wasn't, so her hand was just held out for him to shake again. "Alright, you can help me. I've actually got a mission coming up that you could be very well suited for. It'll be more than just upgrading vessels and ships, I can assure you. Yet it's dangerous. I'll try to keep you as safe as I can though."

 

[BB-610]

If a droid could smile, BB-610's lips would have been from ear to ear [if, hypothetically, droids also had ears]. For all his life, he'd been but a mere cog in The First Order's machine, before living a life relatively in the shadows in The Agents of Chaos. It wasn't unheard of for astromechs to play important roles in history - he'd heard the tales just as many had. But so many had dismissed his capabilities. If all went to plan, he could finally bring peace and freedom to the galaxy.

' Danger is exactly the thing I'm looking for. ' the droid chirps, his utility arm emerging for a firm handshake with Loreena Arenais-Valhoun . ' You needn't worry about protecting me. You'd be surprised at how well-preserved a free-thinking astromech can be. Repairing ships can be rewarding, but I can do so much more, I'm sure of it. '

He releases her hand, retracting his arm into his tool-bay disk, before rolling closer to her. BB-610's optic follows her eyes, his spherical body wobbling excitedly. ' Now, then. What may this mission involve? '

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori smiled as BB-610 seemed quite sure of himself and of what he was getting into. She slung Ol' Sparky over her shoulders and then gathered up the small crate of items into her hands before she got to her feet. "Follow me. We'll talk inside. Less ears that way." And by that she had meant spies and drones.

Once BB had followed her up the ramp, she closed it up and then carried her items through the cargohold and into the small armoury. All the while they moved through the ship, Lori spoke. "There's some good people that I've gotta save that are all locked up. If they aren't rescued in time, I'm sure they'll be executed or worse. The Empire has a zero tolerance policy now when it comes to the Rebellion. And now it seems that some governments are having us captured and handed over as though we were gifts. It's disheartening." And concerning. "That kind of practice has to be put at an end."

 

[BB-610]

While the little astromech was, quite honestly, biting off more than he can metaphorically chew- and, part of him knew this- but a fully independent droid could only sit in the sidelines and idly fiddle with wires for so long. If all BB-610 was subject to was menial co-piloting and repair jobs, he'd rather have his memory wiped on the daily, because that wasn't a life worth living in his eyes. The droid was more than happy to help in any way he can, just needed to expand his capabilities. How else would he help those in need if he never branched out?

So with that in mind, BB-610 slowly rolls behind her, careful to not intrude on anything. This was her ship, after all. He was a guest! The droid notes her tools, and he inches closer to her. This is Loreena Arenais-Valhoun . One of, if not the, biggest faces in The Eclipse Rebellion. The fact that he had even been accepted by her was a miracle in and of itself, though part of him chalks it up to the idea that she would be more than capable in detaining him if he were ever to become a threat. She's to be plenty capable.

"There's some good people that I've gotta save that are all locked up. If they aren't rescued in time, I'm sure they'll be executed or worse. The Empire has a zero tolerance policy now when it comes to the Rebellion. And now it seems that some governments are having us captured and handed over as though we were gifts. It's disheartening."

BB-610 ponders on that. He sits there, wordless, for a series of minutes, optic narrowing in deep thought. He contemplates his alliances, his knowledge of the world. His stance in this war. It's upsetting to him. The Agents and The Rebels are united by a cause - to liberate planets of tyranny. They're chaotic freedom fighters. But... Ingrid... she's allied with them, right?

' This is awful. There has to be something we can do. ' is all he says for the time being. He's helped Ingrid before. The Agents have. What would Ingrid do if she were to find BB-610 among the rebels? What would The Agents do? What would Bella? Is- Is what he's doing right? Has he done the right choice-? There are so many thoughts, spiralling through his servos, so many conflicting statements that not even the sheer, cold objectivity of his calculations can answer. He feels helpless, confused, is- is he doing--

There's a thunderous crack of electricity from his electro shock prod, dancing along the floor of Loreena's ship. BB-610's optic has flickered to a bloodhungry red, steam fluttering from his exhausts.

' The Eternal Empire will FALL. '

His systems blip back, optic returning to its usual cyan, as BB-610 shakes his head in an attempt to clear up the rattling within his servos. The astromech tilts his head up, glaring at the woman deep into her eyes. ' Then we will liberate the rebels and rise above The Empire. Just like history before us. '

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

The ramp rose and sealed the access shut. Lori placed the little crate inside of a big metal box, before closing it and snapping it shut.

As BB-610 's personality seemed to shift and the floor was electrofied briefly, she jumped up on top of the box in order to try to save herself from getting shocked. Her eyes never moved from the little astromech that seemed to have opened up a darker programming.

That was....odd. Yet at least it seemed to favour her side.

After he reverted back to his proper self, Lori sat down on the box, leaning forward to study him. "Are you alright? And yes, we will do as others have done. All for the name of freedom and peace. And I'm sure that there is much that we wouldn't be able to do without your help."