Gravity

[Asmus Janes]

It was another two dreary slides before Asmus paid enough attention to notice something was off. Her hands always gave it away. Asmus turned back to face Vo and chewed on the inside of his cheek nervously. Was it something Omar had said? Was she annoyed at the learing Zeltron or at something he’d told her about Asmus.

“So Asmus anything including the codenames of an undercover agent, or the worlds they are in is to be…”

“Placed on a red stick and only mentioned in secure Deck B locations or this room,” Asmus recited, having been dragged out of his mental struggle.

“And…”

“Labelled with the right security codes so people who haven’t been inducted can’t read it…”

“Very good. Well then, that’s all from me. I’ll put the briefing on a red data disk so you can review it when you want. If you’re not sure, ask me. Any questions? Kaile, you know the drill, but anything specific to the overall op and security?”

Asmus shrugged. “I’m good. I’ll just land the ship and not talk about it.”

Vo turned inky black eyes towards Kaile. Asmus took the opportunity to look to her as well.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

The query shook Kaile from her brief reverie. Blinking twice, the Lorrdian gave the Sullustan a tight smile.

“The only question I have that I had discussed earlier with Captain Janes is the likelihood of being able to send a probe or another flyby for updated information.” it was at the very least three years old. A lot could change in three years.

“I know there could be a potential risk involved, but what percentage are we looking at?” her mind was back on the mission. It dealt with another agent and an asset who were undercover and needed to be extracted. This was someone’s life that depended on the execution of their actions.

It didn’t fade the mild annoyance she felt towards Amadgener at all. A tell would be how she was deliberately avoiding looking at his direction. When Kaile felt annoyed or upset at anyone in particular, her ability to provide the cold shoulder was by far the worst shut out she could give. For one who was as talkative, social, and interactive as Kaile, that was the final put down.

 

[Asmus Janes]

Alright, if you want to move on to mission specifics, Captain?”

Asmus tilted his head a fraction, but the query was aimed at Amadgener.

“We’re not going to be able to get a ship in that deep in time,” he said. “But raise the RFI and I’ll send it to command, we might have some updated info from other sources that could be released.”

“That would be good,” Asmus said. “But I’ll have to stick with a more cautious path I think.”

Amadgener gave him a look that suggested this was mildly surprising to him. “I would tend to agree. The risk is high as it is, but so are the stakes.” He tapped the console and the terrain came into view once more. “I started reviewing what you were working on earlier. I approve of the direction you’re working towards,” he said. It sounded a little forced. Perhaps, Asmus thought, he’d felt the need to get the dig in early before giving Janes some praise.

“It’s been a difficult day for you hasn’t it Captain?” Asmus asked, lips twitching in amusement. The comment wasn’t answered. Instead it was Vo who spoke next.

“I can release more information on the pick up zone now and the asset if you both want to review it?”

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

That had been difficult for the Captain to admit. Kaile was able to quickly read it from his body language. From the way his shoulders had tensed to the slight twitch of a nerve along his jaw. Just what was the deal between the two?

With a shake of her head, Kaile ran the flat of her tongue across her front teeth. At Vo’s inquiry, it turned into a nod.

“Might as well. Captain Janes will need as much information as possible to make sure that it doesn’t end with all of our skins full of holes.” a mild reference to how chaotic and blaster happy her own extraction had been. None of which had been Asmus’ fault, just how it ended up turning. The best-laid plans could turn sour on a credit chip.

Stars, I need a new cup of caf, she told herself. Vo gave an incline of his head and pulled out another small red disk.

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus grabbed a datapad as Vo plugged in the disk and distributed the information within the confines of the room’s equipment. Asmus started to skim the information, but this was really veering into Kaile’s line of work. There was information about the Colonel, his past record, associates and a very detailed psychological analysis. It chilled Asmus to know there was a file just like this with his name on it somewhere.

“Agent Vera, I’m going to leave this disk in your care,” Vo said. “Access will be granted to your fingerprints and with the passphrase I’ve put on your screen. Please only use it here, your quarters with a level two lock and the briefing room on B-deck.”

Asmus looked up to give a short nod, but didn’t say anything else. The decision made sense, he didn’t have access to any lockers for this kind of information.

“The roof of this shopping complex is a reasonable backup extraction point,” Asmus said. “You could lose a tail in there and that roof could take the weight of the shuttle. There’s also small landing ground here, but that will be guarded. Could steal a transport as a last resort.”

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

It was standard protocol, but Kaile none the less confirmed to the Intelligence Officer that she would do as instructed. Once Asmus began to go over the additional information and suggested a backup extraction point, the espion leaned forward on her forearms to get a closer look.

Her expression shifted to one of deep concentration, studying the layout. Rising, she set her palm down on the table and gestured towards the path Asmus had pointed out.

“It could work.” she made a slight suction sound with her teeth and cheek. What she didn’t like was the proximity to civilians.

“I rather avoid stealing a transport if possible. Too dangerous for you.” she didn’t even notice how she’d said it. It just came out naturally.

“I could take this path and reach the roof easy. It will provide cover.” the Lorrdian was well used to it. Turning to the Colonel’s file, she skimmed it for the most recent physical.

“His knee surgery was well over a year ago, but that may turn into a factor. “ if he wasn’t physically fit, then it could make things harder for them to get to the shuttle quickly.

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus acknowledged this was a considerate hum. The settlement wasn’t particularly large. Forty thousand civilians or so. Four stormtroopers at the garrison and twelve law enforcement droids. The droids weren’t armed. Fifteen minute response time for additional reinforcements to arrive. If he was being watched closely they could sound the alarm almost immediately.

“How long will it take from approaching him to getting him on the move?” Asmus asked, expecting a window. “The shopping facility… might be too far.” Asmus panned the map and looked for other potential emergency pickups.

“If we pick up some heavily encrypted traffic that suggests they’ve called for help I can get you here. It’s a luxury residential street half a kilometer away. I can come in nice and low and land there. On the other hand I could provide covering fire from the roof of the shopping complex if the local stormtrooper squad decides to come in.”

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

“In a perfect ‘verse…” Kaile mulled over the time. If she was able to make a clean entry and then approach the Colonel to get his attention…

“Less than ten minutes.” those large hazel eyes darted over to match the jade of the Wraith. “If I can get inside and am able to pass clean enough for them to not to detain me for too long.. I can have him moving as soon as possible.”

Her attention darted back to Vo.

“What do you have for me as an alias?” if she needed clearance or if she could simply walk in under the guise of a temporary secretary -- all of these minor details would add more time to the estimate or lesson it.

“We have a cover for you to use that will allow you entry as a temporary assistant filling in for the Colonel. A request had been made earlier, and that has allowed us an entry point.”


An amused snort came from the Lorrdian.

“Please tell me you are not selecting the outfit this time.” the half grin that came from the Lieutenant answered her question.

“Great.” she sighed out, shaking her head. The last time Vo had presided over her attire resulted in Kaile having to learn how to walk on high heels. Not the most pleasurable experience but certainly the thought had amused him nonetheless.

“Then with my role of an assistant, I should have an easier time explaining why the Colonel and I are going for a quick stroll towards the shopping center.”

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Display walking route from cafe to shopping complex. Display intercept from garrison to route,” Asmus instructed. A bright green trail cut through the streets and a red one let out of the garrison to meet it. “You’d best have an air speeder in place. If the troopers get the call they could be a problem. Even if there are only four of them.”

He was faintly interested in the history regarding her dress for a previous operation, but could ask that particular question later. For now he had to try and keep down the flutter at just the sight of her smile. He had to remind himself that this really was happening. This couldn’t still be a dream, it had been playing out for far too long. She was here, a gorram agent of the Alliance. They were in a room, planning an operation together.

Asmus turned his eyes back to the briefing. This was all a little risky. The fact that they were urgently being diverted suggested that the First Order had become suspicious that the man was feeding them information. He might have to keep a cool head, make his decisions analytically. Trust the fact that Jarrick had actually taught him how to shoot straight and that he could outfly most of what the Order would have in the vicinity.

Might be worth firing off a few bolts from his favourite carbine just in case.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

“Hmm… I can work that in somehow.” Kaile murmured, studying the interception points and her primary exit route. With that in mind, she finally straightened, leaning back away from the table and back into her seat. A deep breath lifted her chest, the espion holding it for a moment before letting it out slowly.

“But every time it always ends somehow thinkin’ on your toes,” she added, well aware how fluid things could be. A friendly smile shot towards the Sullustan.

“Thank you Vo.” sparing a glance at the Captain, she was surprised to see him staring at her curiously. That prompted a slight furrowing of her brow in bemusement of her own.

“Something wrong, Captain?”

He gave a shake of his head, “No, Vera. I’m sure you and Captain Janes will do your jobs just fine.” dark eyes shot out to Asmus.

“Try and bring them both back in one piece, Janes.” he rose to his feet. “I already have one Senior Special Agent in the med bay.”

He gave a level look.

“I don’t need a second.”

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus stayed seated, filling out his formal RFI. He mumbled something distinctly rude as the Captain left the room. They'd never quite meshed and he just couldn't quite work out why he seemed to rub the man up the wrong way. Asmus knew he didn't help matters, but it seemed a lost cause. Going out of his way to exaggerate the behaviours that wound Amadgener up just came naturally.

“Anyway, I can stay fairly fluid,” Asmus said to Kaile now they had the room to themselves. “We have a new app to test actually. Routes voice down an encrypted channel over the holonet so we don't have to use a radio and risk drawing attention.”

The Rogue looked down at his chrono. “One of the bridge teams has a meeting in here soon. Should go go use the Deck B briefing room?”

He was seeing her through new eyes now. Observing her in a different light as she went about her business. It might have been that Asmus had done the good deed and saved her from that quarantine zone, but she'd been the one to keep him out of trouble with that sidearm of hers. Was she going to be able to see him as a trained pilot or would she try and shield him from danger, he wondered.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

“It would be best.” Kaile automatically replied, coming to her feet to stretch over the holoarray. She went through the protocols of safely and securely removing the reddisk from the array, following up with the quick purging and wipe as the added measure. Compared to earlier, the Lorrdian’s expression was set to a more professional demeanor. In her mind she was going through all the potential ways this mission could go.

Tucking the red disk in her back pocket, Kaile gathered her files. If Asmus had a way of reading her mind, then he would get an answer to his question that confirmed she’d be doing her best to keep him outside of any danger. Asmus may be a Captain with a colorful and distinguished career as an officer, but he had no real background on the dangers and intrigue her job placed her under. By all intents and purposes, were she to be caught and Resistance personnel unable to get her out, they would disavow any knowledge of the Lorrdian.

Asmus didn’t sign up for that.

“Another thirty minutes or so and then we can wrap it up. There is only so much one can prepare for things.”

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Good!” Asmus said a little more enthusiastically than was necessary. He didn't even look ashamed as he met her gaze. As he continued to gather up flimsiplast sheets into a sealable wallet, he tried to think about what else he had left to get done today.

Nothing that couldn't be done tomorrow.

“If were done that quickly do you want to grab some food a little early…” and avoid running into Omar again, “...and go and start binging through the series?”

Another battle for self control might have been on the cards, but he welcomed it.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

His little enthusiastic outburst prompted Kaile to perk her head, staring up at him through the dark fringe of her bangs. Seeing his half smile and the glimmer in his gold-flecked eyes brought back that other bit of intel she’d gathered earlier. Omar, the mess, and seven double shots of whiskey. Right.

Her eyes fell down to her folder full of filmsie sheets. Clearing her throat, she made it seem as if it was parched.

“Maybe. I just ate not too long ago. The Rodian Spaghetti and meatballs. Wouldn’t really be hungry for a while.” all of less than an hour really. If they spent another thirty or so minutes going over this, then there really wouldn’t be any sense to go to the mess so early again.

“There are still quite a few episodes. Not sure if completely binge watching the rest of the series is in the cards.“

 

[Asmus Janes]

The way that he looked at her had changed since the other officers had left the room. A softening of his visage whenever he looked to her. There was also a slightly worried look in the those green eyes. A look that had been planted there by one simple message about a hedonistic zeltron.

“That’s true, but when you start watching it, it does get hard to stop,” he said. He gave a little twist on the mechanism on the wallet. It seemed a simple plastic latch, but simple plastic latches didn’t tend to beep when they were locked. It wouldn’t stop someone from stealing the file and cutting it open, but it did make it obvious if anyone else tampered with the file.

“Do you want to get something to drink on the way then?” he asked. Already he had in mind the cakes the officer’s canteen tended to put out with the caf during the afternoon.

Elsewhere on the ship, a certain redhead was being briefed by a colleague. A game of bothan whispers, but she was quite put out by the news that the pair were apparently in a briefing with the Captain for some kind of operation. Small ship. Well, she was off to help Chad with his ship now, surely he would have more details.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]


He was looking at her in a way that suggested he had a few concerns he’d like to smooth over. However, he didn’t seem as if he was willing to ask them at the present time. Questions… well, Asmus knew how she felt about those. It all depended on just how much the Wraith wanted them answered.

“Always is with that series,” Kaile replied, turning on the ball of her foot to head towards the exit. At the question of a refreshment, the Lorrdian came to a light pause.

“Yeah, something to drink would be good. I should have brought water or caf with me for this briefing before leaving the mess.” she added, tossing her head a bit to throw her bangs away from her eyes. Studying him quietly, the espion abruptly said, “You and Captain don’t quite get along at all.”

They’d discussed it a little bit earlier, but seeing them in this briefing made her wonder if there was anything more involved.
“Does he always poke fun about your past?”

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Only when he wants to embarrass me in front of his favoured members of the crew,” Asmus said rather curtly with a sharp raise of his eyebrows. “He came up through the ranks the long way and has - in my opinion - reached the limit of his potential. Gets him frustrated and frankly we just don't get on that well.”

With a small shrug of his shoulders he headed for the exit. “There's a kitchen on C deck with a caf machine and some drinks actually?” He would miss out on the cake, but also the chance of meeting his squadron or worse, Lucy.

“You know, this makes me wonder how many people we know in common. How close we must have come to meeting over the last couple of years. I always hoped I might see you on Sullust. So what did Vo make you wear that was even worse than a Yum Bunnies get up?”

He tacked on the last question quickly, to try and glide away from the more dangerous area of conversation he'd drifted into.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]


“Umm, high heels.” Kaile managed to answer. She had no real time to adjust to the shift of Asmus’ train of thought before he asked her the question about Vo. That was easy to answer, and honestly a far safer topic than returning to the fact that she too had wondered if she'd cross his way. Or more aptly, if Asmus ever found out she'd been there for his graduation then would that have been better or worse?

“The kitchenette is fine.” While Janes were concerned over brushing with his Squadron or Lucy, Kaile’s mind was back on what Omar had told her. For the longest, the Lorrdian had convinced herself that he was happy. That he'd been living a good life. By all intents and purposes he had; there wasn't anything she figured that Asmus Janes would ever look back at his life with regrets. He lived by the day, worries cast aside and simply enjoyed it without letting himself get too neurotic over things. Hearing that the pilot had his low points because of her just stung.

Kaile hadn't wanted him to remember her like that.

Yet at the same time… At the same time, it touched a part of her soul that echoed the sentiment. They summoned up the past the moments in time.

Moments. Humans always remember the moments. We recall the steps that led us to where we were meant to be. The words that inspired or crushed us. The incidents that scarred us and swallowed us whole. Kaile had many moments in her lifetime, moments that had changed her, challenged her. Moments that had scared her and seemed to engulfed her whole. However, the biggest one--the most heartbreaking and breathtaking ones-- all had included him.

The man with the heartbreaking smile and those gold flecked green eyes. The one that no amount of distance within the ‘Verse could ever see Kaile draw away from. No, it always came back to him. One way or another she should have known that there were just some things one couldn't completely cut away.

The heart just didn't work like that.

 

[Asmus Janes]

“I’m not convinced that’s worse than the waitress's uniform, but then I fear you may be skipping some details there,” he chuckled as they stepped out into the corridor. His elbow brushed her arm, which seemed to send a small jolt right through him. Later. Later she might curl in against his chest. Perhaps this time his hands would start to express his affection of their own accord, without crossing the line he imagined separating from another spiral as that first night had been. The line was fuzzy.

There was a group of senior officers heading towards the briefing room so Asmus fell silent. He didn’t like the notion of discussing either their mission or personal relationship in front of them. It had already occurred to him that she would have been far more capable of tracking him down than the reverse. He had ideas, but it would make him so much more content if she would just explain why she hadn’t contacted him. That was his belief, no matter how untrue it actually was.

“Damn animals,” he grunted as they stepped into the small kitchen space. There were dirty mugs and wrappers all over the surfaces. Asmus went to put on a put of caf and started to tidy away after the rest of the crew.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

“Well, good to know things are runnin’ normal.” Was her passing wry commentary about ship life. There was no judgment in her eyes; she knew how things could get hectic. However, years of playing the role of a waitress or a line cook instilled a particular set of skills and the necessity to keep things clean and organized.

“It's fine,” Kaile added, trying to offer a half smile before working alongside to clean things up. Flashback to the Quin and the tiny galley that had them both cooking side by side those four days. It was as easy to pick up as it had back then, present and past blending together in such a simple chore.

“Caf?” Kaile managed to ask after clearing her throat. She'd set a few mugs into the sonic washer. With the fresh pot put one by Asmus, it was almost done.