From Many One: Wardens

[RC 212]

Location: Tatooine

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Tatooine seemed an acceptable location to begin. A major hub or trade and commerce in the Outer Rim, and rife with spacers and scum of all types. This was without a doubt the easiest of all places to blend into. And blend Vassara did. She was wearing her homespun Tusken Raider cloak, pulled tight around her, to conceal her spacers jacket.

Her shotgun as usual was poking out from a sheath on her back and her bantha leather gunbelt hung loosely on her black trouser clad hips, beneath the cloak. the cantina was seedy, two levels, a round bar at the top level and a lot of old chairs and tables at the lower. Brown mud walls, a horrible band, and a motley crew of armored baddies among the smoke filled den of corruption rounded her out.

She had been in contact with an associate from the Underground, Coren Starchaser. Another Warden much like herself. Both family bloodlines had plenty of pilots in them, though Vassara's legacy was rather new amongst the galaxy, being the first of her name to break free of the freighter business after her family was all but slaughtered on Alderaan.

Coren and her had arranged a meeting to discuss a mutual occupation of theirs. A secret order few knew about, and even fewer were able to handle. Being a Warden.

So there she sat, under the name of Emma Rose, musing in the corner...

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Coren Starchaer, Sith Punching Bag, Warden of the Sky and a Captain in the Frontiers Corps. He was making his way past the borders of one of the factions he was swearing to take down; the Techno Union. They were able to back the entire galaxy, surely coming here and stealing a few thing wouldn’t go noticed. But it was Tatooine where he had set up the meeting. He wasn’t quite sure if the invitee, [member="Vassara Raxis"] was a Warden, he had heard rumors, but the whole order, with the exception of Jorus Merrill, kept it to themselves, they knew what, the person who found them, and one that they found?

Myths, legends, spacer tales, like Starweirds.

He had a rented Corellian freighter, nothing that screamed Coren Starchaser, a transponder that was from a neutral world and the cover identity of Jon Cooper. Enough so that if they were able to track him? It’d be hard to bring it to being that he was that Starchaser. Couldn’t be too cautious, what with the Sith and their overzealous use of placing bounties. He was looking ever the part of a spacer, down on their luck.

It was typical. Blending was what it was called.

Looking like you belonged, being cosmopolitan. No, not the drink, or the women’s magazine. You know the definition, at ease wherever they went? He even knocked his Corellia accent for a bit of a Rim lilt for this meeting. Pulling his goggles from his eyes, letting them hang around his neck, he looked around, without reaching into the Force, he knew who he was looking for. Didn’t need to cheat,

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Vassara could feel Corens familiar presence as he was making his way through the streets. though she had only worked with him a handful of times, she had a knack, a hunch. In fact it had been let slip once or twice that he was in the order. Not much of an order if you could call it that. Vassara had been a Warden of the Expeditionary Fleet, and a founding member of the Underground.

Starchser, from her understanding and it was minuscule, was a Warden of the Sky. So technically he worked starlanes? Vassara couldn't tell. She herself followed a different tradition, expanding the jurisdiction of the occupation to beyond just the starlanes. Beyond even the basics, she considered all of space her charge. Her cause? Root out evil, help the weak and lend her knowledge to those how deserved it.

As Coren approached she let a small spike in the force out from her being, pining her location red hot in the force, if only for a brief second...

 

[Coren Starchaser]

That was the thing with people who were self-described explorers. They were really good at finding things, people and places. Coren knew what he was doing, and that meant he was confident in what he was doing, the decision he was making here. A wanderer himself, he took to the lanes because that was his home, it was where he needed to be. It was how life made it work for him. Raxis was from the Expeditionary Fleet and that was something Coren could understand, respect, and work with.

His home was the Dawn Treader.

And the Tachyon Rising.

And wherever war brought him. He was a soldier, a scout, a pilot, an explorer, and a really terrible Warden. He focused on the Unknown Regions, a sector he knew well, but beyond that? He did his best but it was an anti-Sith centric pattern. Spotting her, he approached and nodded, taking a seat.

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"Hi I'm Emma!" Vassara joked, extending her hand. There was no need for it really, except to throw off anyone who might be overhearing their conversation. Given that the cantina was loud as all hell and packed to the gills, they most like;y wouldn't. Location, location,location. Any place that was loud and packed was a safe place, a place where no one was paying much attention to detail.

"Been a while eh?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

Vassar hadn't honestly seen Coren in about half a year, since their last job in the Underground together.

"Your travels went well?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

What was his name here again? Right, Jon. After the original creator of the Underground. Coren wasn’t one of the founding members, but he was probably pretty clearly involved in the command structure by this point. He came late to the party, flying with Imperial ships and Imperial tactics, doing his best to clear such from the field while the rest of the Underground did there thing. “Hey. Seat taken?” He smirked and shook his head. Right, that game was over and he took the seat.

He doubted anyone was listening, but this was a great spot to get a bit of information on the local government and the nation state of the Techno Union. “Yeah, I’ve been… busy. Had to chase the Oh Ess.” Because he wasn’t going to say Sith in open conversation. “Around the galaxy. Get one of our own back. Csilla was a mess, but we’re working over at Marna now.” Yeah, he had a kid. Said kid was a transport pilot for the Underground.

Said kid was using a dominion as a development thread.

As for not seeing someone in the faction for a few months? That happened. Cell structure, Coren knew his cell was mainly Spark and Rekha, Anastasia making her celebrity appearances every now and then. But the team had learned to fight together, it was good.

“Going from here to there. Spreading the good word and all.” Now he sounded like a missionary. “Learning what I can about the galaxy.” And where he could find some bases, sympathy and new education. "Whats been keeping you busy?" He looked over to the cocktail server and called for a tequila and tonic.

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"Oh me?"

Vassara paused, taking a sip from a nearby glass of water. No drinking today, she had to be top notch, on her game.

"Well I've been hanging with the Silvers and the Pubs."

She spoke softly, leaning in so only Coren could hear it. As she spoke she let her senses expand a little more, trying to cover them from all angles. No one seemed to be watching or listening so that was good. She had been busy yes, moving from place to place like she always did. Making friends here and there, never sticking to one location for long.

"You know about Crina of course, and then I was helping Roberts Rangers set up refuge for the Corellians. Went to the academy for a visit once. You could say I've been around."

She failed to mention training several Rogue forcers, but that wasn't even in the equation right now. Only one of them had even been worth their salt, and she'd cut him loose after one session. Too much rage and anger, it would drag her down, and that could not happen.

"So I understand that you and I are a part of the same occupation?"

It was time to get down to the business.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Right, he had seen her around the Coalition, or heard murmurs that she was working in that same sector. Since the Levantine Sanctum and Silver Order merger, he had been there as well, the Frontiers Corps getting folded into the Service Corps, and that was fine. It gave him a base, some more funds, and he did get to work with a few really radical ships. “The Coalition is a good base for now. Lets me keep my public profile in the Frontiers Corps.”

So that when he went Underground missioning, he wasn’t really expected. As for the Republic? He felt they were just on their last leg and needed to let go, abandon the Core, move out to the Rim and reformat. From there, maybe their Jedi could actually do something, head out to former Fringe space, and make it work. “Crina was good work. And yeah, the Peacock…” Karen. “I heard about her trip. Good to help with the homeworld.” His and hers, he wasn’t sure where Raxis was calling home.

“I’ve heard talk, means we both need to watch our trails out there.” He smiled as the drink arrived. “What of it, Emma?” Right, he should probably introduce his cover, but she was intelligent enough to not say his name. The pair had known that much about one another.

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"It appears to me, or is my observation that we come from different backgrounds, different skillets and have a unique goal in mind though."

Vassara shifted her gaze about the room, glancing this way and that. Call it paranoid, but someone like them always had to be on the lookout. One misstep and the enemy would expose you, place bounties on your head. You're work would became a thousand fold harder.

"I come from a different interpretation of the profession. The same in which J.Q.M and C.B. come from is yours I believe. Mine is different, more closly tied to the Jal'Shey and the Jed'aii Orders of old."

Yep still no one listening, but she wasn’t about to mention Jorus or Chloe out load. Big mistake.

"Perhaps we can swap techniques, get a little learning going on? I'll teach you my interpretation, you can teach me yours?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

They were opposite ends with the similarity of purpose. Coren Starchaser was much the kind of Forcer that had his purpose and he went for it. He was a soldier. He had no idea the initials of C.B. But he knew the other. There was probably a decent chance that Merrill and him had met on a starfield of combat once or twice, with Coren being Imperial leaning in his past and Merrill being a Rebel, and Omega pilot. Coren now? He was still favoring Santhe fighters, but he was working with the Underground and Pyre to get his galaxy fixed the way it should be.

What they’d need to do before they left here was see about stealing some tech from a Techno Union ship. Coren was working on acquiring several IFFs for a master plan. He was hoping he could slide in, make the grab and slide on out. But there was much to discuss here.

He was knowledgable of a few different Force traditions, he himself, recently confirming he was welcomed by the Monks of the Aing-Tii, and the Corellian Force traditions. Jedi was not a word Coren liked to use. It was a dirty word in his mouth.

“I’m sure we can do that. Between pilots, after all.” He nodded, followed up with a laugh. "Interested to see what you think you know about me."

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Vassara smiled. He was testy one. Always trying to be elusive. She might have known far more than Starchaser thought. Being in with the Underground and various Rebel networks across the galaxy netted a large sum of intel and interesting stories. The bar was becoming a bit too noisy for Vassara and they could properly discuss things in the open. Too many prying eyes and ears out there.

"Come on, let's bounce. We going to your ship or mine?"

She stood, pushing in her chair with her boot and pulling the tusken raider cloak tighter around her frame. With a swift movements she flipped the cowl up, hiding her face.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Testy? Coren Starchaser was a man who threw himself at the Sith to do his best to stall their operations and ruin as many days as possible. Keeping himself secret protected the Levantine Academy and Frontiers Corps. The Silver Sanctum itself? That could burn for all he cared. Keeping the Pyre and Underground fighting the darkness in the galaxy while keeping his science minded exploits safe? That was all he needed to do. That and keep his own Warden of the Sky business a secret.

“Why not make a new ship? Techno Union has plenty of craft around, I’m sure we can steal something pretty to play with back at the Shift.” He grinned at her. He didn’t like hopping behind enemy lines and leaving with nothing to show for it. Of course, it was only an option. He made his way to his feet, looking around, hunters eyes pacing the cantina.

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"Oooh a little piracy."

Normally not one for piracy and the like, Vassara didn't much care at this point. She'd went from hunting pirates, to hanging out with pirates and hunting Sith. Sure every thing had its place in the verse. Piracy included. The cantina was getting a little busier now and she reached out to tap Coren on the shoulder.

"Follow me, I know an exit out the back. Overlooks an alley that goes towards the starport. We can hang out on a roof with some binocs and chat while we scope it out."

She moved forwards into the surging crowd coming in for happy hour. Just another spacer woman down on her luck, looking like a tusken raider. Funny no one even bothered to try and shoot her for her disguise! Rough and rude she barged through them, parting bodies with elbows, hands and the occasional brusque shoulder first manuver.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Piracy was good. It kept everyone on their toes. And The Techno Union could certainly spare a ship. Besides. Coren needed to use some other IFF examples to finalize a new IFF for a few ships. He was helping the Underground this way, and well, throwing Chaos to the Axis of Evil. To him, it wasn’t the same. It was stealing for a purpose, something useful to the Underground and to the freedom of the skies, and useful to help ensure freedom for beings the galaxy over.

Grinning at Raxis’s idea, he nodded. Normally he just kind of went through and made it up as he went along, but then he’d have to do stereotypical Coren Starchaser things. Making his way through the crowd with a practiced ease, he knew how groups worked and bars were just a group focused on two things. What people were talking about, and how to get a drink. He followed towards the door, doing his best to not knock anyone’s drinks. Simple, right?

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Within moments they had cleared the crowd. Vassara moved to the corner of the cantina and knocked the wall three times. It slid open and a staircase revealed itself. Why? Because she was an institutive Astrogator. The woman could sense paths, and just went with it, even if they made absolutely no sense. I mean c'mon who knocks on random walls?

Vassara Raxis, Captain of the Crazies.

"That was neat." She said, tossing Coren a wry grin.

"C'mon."

She moved up the stair silently, one hand on the Void Ripper Revolver beneath her robe. No one was home upstairs, it just looked like whoever lived there had left in a hurry. The bed was dishevelled, crates stacked int he corner half packed. Must have been a dissident, not down with the TU.

But there it was, a window. Vassara made her way to it and opened the clasp with a dexterity unmatched, revealing a small ledge below. The ledge extended along the side of the building, intersecting with an maintenance ladder, that ran clear to the roof.

"Told ya I knew a way."

 

[Coren Starchaser]

It never surprised Coren when Raxis was going about and finding her way. He himself was one of those instinctive astrogators. It was how he found himself around the Aing-Tii, and he knew that it mattered where he was going, and how he was getting there, rather than where he was. It was why he had been the quartermaster for a PMC and why he was working on finding backdoors in and out of One Sith space. He had known that Kaia and Jared, his kids, were both gifted there, but for the former it came out in a bit of a parkour practice, and for Jared, he’d be able to fleet like no other.

Well, like a few. Hero character and everything.

“A bit of luck, but yeah, it works. Ladies first.” He said, nodding to the ladder. On his hip was his Power Nine, but he’d be replacing such with a small repeater sooner or later. Something to give him a bit more range and power for when a scatter gun really wasn’t an option.

Or a lightsaber, because feth those things.

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"Sure thing."

Vassara climbed out, taking care to set her feet just so on the ledge. The thing was only but a few inches wide, which meant if you slipped, you had two or three stories to fall. There was a multitude of cracks and crevasses in the dust covered mudwalls. Her fingers slipped into each of them, expanding, black gloves giver an extra grip.

Slowly she made her way across the ledge, one foot at a time, shuffling slightly. Dust fell from where she moved, making little swirls in the air below. The sun was beating down now, as it was about high noon. Sweat began to drip from her face like a mini rain shower. She hated hot planets, space was so much better.

Finally after a few tense moments she made it to the ladder, and clung on, manuevering lithely onto it. Hand over hand she began to climb, boots clanging against the rusty durasteel.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Back in an old iteration of Coren Starchaser, he was all over going crazy on the ground. He was part of a storm commando unit and knew that getting from point A to B was essential. Nowadays? Since the reawakening? He was more a pilot than ever, doing what he could on land and throwing himself at the Sith. A weapon. A living weapon. The rest? That was transposed to another character who was much more at home with a rifle and dispensing justice that way. He stepped out onto the ledge carefully, not over-weighted by combat armor, he found his footing and started following the other Warden.

He was doing his best to remove himself, mentally, from the world he was on. During his time between the death of his father and the time he joined Imperial service, Coren had spent a good number of months flying for the Hutts out of this world. Using it as a layover, and jump off point. This bit he didn't remember. Didn't care to learn too much of that part of his history.

Once Raxis made it to the ladder, he shuffled in that direction. No need to stress the building.

It seemed the Union didn't bring their civilization here.

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

She ascended the roof with ease, vaulting over the lip and coming down on her belly. The cloak fluttered in the wind, before settling down, kicking up a storm of dust and grit. Her face, her hands her cloak, they were all soiled, sand from Tatooine ground into the fibers. It was a perfect addition to her disguise. Naturalization.

For a minute she lay there, lost in thought. What of their ships? If they were going to steal a Union ship, one of them would have to find a way to return for their own vessels, in addition, they would need papers to clear customs. Yes the crappy part about a scum haven being under federal control was that you suddenly needed regulations, where before it was a freer place.

Nudging those thoughts aside Vassara glanced back over her shoulder, checking to see if anyone else was on nearby roof tops. she rolled slightly, pushing herself onto her left side and retrieved a black pair of binocs from her belt.

"Alright, looks like a good vantage point. Can see inside three of four hangar bays from here!"

They were higher up than the starport, a few stories at least. The open tops of the primitive landing bays revealed each ship, docked in neat little rows. A few guards paced the rows, but most of the action was centered at the front of the port, where visitors came and left. A few customs agents too.