In the Bowels of Bespin

[Ludolf Vaas]

Somewhere else on Bespin, a lone figure sat in a high-backed chair, a tall, dark silhouette against the backdrop of an evening sky in the large windowpane behind him. In front of him was a lone datapad, its glowing red hue providing the room's sole light source. The glow of the datapad cast a crimson light across the man's face, illuminating and coloring in his stark cheekbones. Across the room, the doorway slid open, causing more light to pour into the otherwise dark, formless room.

"General," A figure called.

Ludolf Vaas looked up from the datapad. A subordinate officer stood in the doorframe. The General beckoned him forward, before returning his eyes to the datapad. The day-to-day mining operations on Bespin were usually of little concern to him, so long as things ran smoothly; however, when former Republic senators and bands of mercenaries were involved, they became his concern.

"We have an Agent on the ground," The officer said, clicking on a small holopad in his hand, revealing the image of [member="Hyori Tal"]. "She is monitoring the situation," The General looked up from his datapad again, squinted at the holographic image of the First Order Agent allong with her dossier, and clenched his teeth.

"Get me in contact with this Agent," Vaas said. "Immediately."

"Right away, sir," The officer replied, and began punching in Ryori's frequency, carrying a priority message from General Vaas.

[member="Lady Kay"] [member="Darth Crucifere"] [member="Max Fel"] @AP-01 @Darlyn Excron

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

First Order Space was not the most profitable place to be, but it wasn't the worst place to be either.

The Underground Bar was still running the miners were still mining, and Rekha was serving drinks, and meals from behind the bar. Eva had had left out when the First Order took over, Jarod and Ana stayed. Every day was an adventure, Rekha still tried to go thranta riding each day, each day taking her life in her hands. The Sith were interesting to say the least, not quite as murderous as she thought and there was word transmitted to her from friends that some entertainment starlet named [member="Marzena Choi"] might stop by.

Now what was she going to do with a starlet?

Another run of supplies was to be coming in Rekha hoped they brought everything this time...and everything...well, let's see what was in the crates if they arrived. First Sith security was a bit tighter than she had expected and wheeling and dealing for her supplies was becoming second nature.

 

[Darth Rixas]

A crimson gaze illuminated the squint of Oron's half-opened eyes as he looked over the notes sent to him from a contractor of the Mandalorian Empire. His still visage was moved by the twitch at the edge of his lips, the promise of a smile that never quite surface. He'd often requested for missions such as these to be forwarded to his ship, usually of this nature- suicide. Clan Verd, even in the midst of their creation, were expected to do the unthinkable under salvage operations, suicide missions, conquest, and anything in between. It was under the umbrella of such actions that the Clan's alignment spilled over the shards of neutrality and onto the bloody, maroon-hued crystals of the dark side of the morality spectrum. Despite this, they possessed more humanity than most, willing to pull bloody shivs out of their allies- Mandalorian or not. Whether the wounded wanted it or not was up for debate.

Eight present. All unfamiliar. Oron noted as he sized up the group.

For now, he need not to tend to any wounds, but if the mission was as dangerous as this collective appeared to be, the peril would come if only to match what opposed it. They all seemed to know how to formidably wield the weapons they carried and further glances over the figures entailed they'd found semblance of self, a quality that soothed him with a modicum of peace. His contact at the Empire assured him the company he'd walk into would be capable beings, but he expected such.

How selfish he was for it..

A greedy breath, a deep and longing gulp of air filled his chest as he watched them. By now he was sure the thump of his boots could be heard enclosing on the group as he neared them. His gaze behind the protection of a crimson T-visor looked to his wrists as he rolled his fingers into tight fists in the grips of his crushgaunts before he patted the weapons pursed to his combat harness, ensuring they were all accounted for. Although the shroud of his obsidian combat skirt disallowed observers from knowing what was truly there, he himself knew that he was armed enough for this mission. Or at least he believed so. The hood covering the top of his buy'ce moved gently under the speed of his stroll and the cape attached to the torso of his beskar'gam, even moreso. Bringing his trot to an end he stopped in the midst of the group, positioning himself out of arms reach of everyone but close enough to hear what anyone had to say. For now his attention was focused on the woman in the middle- she wielded a commanding presence, self-confidence, an attractive personality and a myriad of other qualities akin to the person his Vod instructed him to find once Oron made it to the location.

If she turned to acknowledge him, he'd address her in Basic, simply saying- "My name is Oron Verd, my circle received your transmission." He started, offering a tilt of his bucket helmet towards other members of the party who'd look towards him for a greeting. "I thought it best to join this operation rather than let it pass us by."

[member="Lady Kay"], [member="AP-01"], [member="Darlyn Excron"], [member="Hyori Tal"], [member="Darth Crucifere"], [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"], [member="Ghorua the Shark"], [member="Max Fel"]

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Hyori listened as members of group stepped forward name themselves and their skills, as her entrance had interrupted their introductions. There was a man named Darlyn Excron, a self-proclaimed explosives artist... he was of little interest for now. Next her attention fell upon the droid; he claimed to be an assassin and a diplomat? Well, that was certainly a strange combination of skills. However, she felt that she could relate on a level with a droid assassin, her own methods and mannerisms were precise and almost machine like at times.

And then there was the one that introduced himself as Max Fel, he seemed to have a certain bravado about him, the kind that often led men to their deaths. As Max turned and addressed her directly, Hyori returned his inquisitive look with a brief but cold stare; her gaze could have cut through stone. He had much to learn if he thought the First Order was simply interested in credits. She had not planned to provide him with a response, but Lady Kay stepped in to answer for her. Of course, the former senator was quite correct.

Her attention shifted again when Romeo Sin spoke to her. Hyori had observed him winking at her a moment ago, but had not dignified the gesture with any sort of response. Such playful and flirtatious actions were lost on her.

“My own views are not relevant; I am merely here to observe, Mr. Sin.” The agent’s dark gaze narrowed very slightly. As an agent her job was to get in, complete her objectives, and get out... she had little interest in forming opinions.

Hyori’s comm lit up, and there was a beeping in her ear that signaled a priority message. She turned to excuse herself from the group for a second time, but found that another man had come to join their party. She passed him by on her way out, and though it appeared that her thoughts could have been elsewhere, she sized him up. Based on his armor and his stature, she would venture that he was a formidable warrior.

Before she was out of earshot, she heard the newcomer say his name was [member="Oron Verd"]. His surname made her pause, and she knew instantly that he was of a Mandalorian Clan. The First Order had taken note of the Mandolorians during their battle on Lanteeb, for now they had simply been researching. While Hyori had been present on the planet during their fight, she had only heard about it after the fact, for she had been occupied with a mission of her own.

Now she turned back to the matter at hand, and a voice informed her of an incoming link to General [member="Ludolf Vaas"], it was a name she had heard many times, and one that carried much weight within the ranks of the First Order.

“Yes, General? This is Agent Tal.”

[member="Lady Kay"],[member="AP-01"], [member="Darlyn Excron"], [member="Darth Crucifere"], [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"], [member="Ghorua the Shark"], [member="Max Fel"]

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

Oh good, Stormtroopers were already here. And now a Mando too...this just kept getting better. Also holy hell what was with that dude and his gaping wounds? Why was he flirting with the creepy First Order agent chick? Yea she was cute enough, but that robotic attitude, no thank you. Even when Raylia got mad at him it at least showed she was a human, well Twi'lek, so near human. Same basic idea right? He returned the Mandalorian's nod as he kept tabs on the others through his HUD. He was looking mostly in the direction of the agent when he spoke up.

"All I can say is don't slow me down or get in my way. I have no issue leaving one who can't fend for themselves behind. If you can't keep up then I would rather go it alone. Doesn't mean I won't provide back up, but if you get in the way of my shot then I won't hesitate to pull the trigger. Glad I could clear that up before this whole thing started."

Since he didn't single anyone out in particular, it could be assumed he was talking to everyone present, yet the feeling from him is that it was likely aimed at the agent and her friendly stormtrooper detachment. Further supporting this was the fact that his left hand now rested loosely on his lightsaber hilt.

[member="Hyori Tal"]
[member="Oron Verd"]
[member="Darlyn Excron"]
[member="Lady Kay"]
[member="Darth Crucifere"]
[member="Max Fel"]
[member="AP-01"]
@Ghoura the Shark

 

[Kay-Larr]

And then there were nine. Kay wasn't quite expecting anyone from the Mandalorian Clans to come to her aid, even if they got paid. She never did them wrong, but she had been betrayed by them. Still, she couldn't hold grudges over an entire race of people, only over individuals. If she wanted to be treated as more than just a former politician, then she should continue to treat others as more than what they were. She bowed her head to [member="Oron Verd"] having no real need to hear of his skills. His appearance told her enough. "Thank you for coming, Oron Verd. As I have told the others, there will be payment, including hazard and medical expenses."

Kay looked to the rather odd looking group. They could be a sight for sore eyes to anyone that still might be alive on that platform. She also taking note of [member="Hyori Tal"] slipping away once again. No doubt she was updating the First Order on what was happening. The Stormtroopers will surely be able to fill her in.

"Alright. As I said earlier, we'll be heading down to the platform tomorrow at 08:00. The air pressure is much thicker down there. Just as though we were travelling deep under water, it will take us an hour before our bodies have adjusted. That is of course unless you have pressure suits. If need be, I'll purchase enough for us, although Ghorua, I'm not sure that there would be one in your size. AP, you of course won't be needing one either. Keep in mind that when we get higher into the atmosphere again, we will need time to decompress before exiting the ship. It's conditions like these that discouraged other mining companies from setting up platforms down there.

For starters we'll go in teams of three. [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] , as the ace pilot of the bunch, you'll fly us down and be on the lookout for hostilities outside of the platform. When we are able to land, you'll be teamed up with [member="AP-01"] and Oron Verd. Check for explosives, traps and survivors in the upper level, but try to be sure that we have a way to get back up here again. Our workers had their own transport, plus one emergency vessel in the hanger, but with no communications, we don't know what state they are in.

Romeo, I need you to go with [member="Max Fel"] and [member="Darlyn Excron"] to the lower levels, including engineering. Again look for survivors, signs of sabotage, anything that could let us know what is going on.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"] will stay with me and Agent Tal. We'll cover the living quarters, labs and others on the central levels.

Don't shoot unless you know it's a hostile. We have good people down there. Everyone will get the commlink frequency on our way down so that we can keep in touch. This should hopefully not take long. Are there any questions?"

It was always tough to be sure of whether or not she's covered all the bases. After they were all through she had plenty more work to do at getting the rest of the supplies needed. But that is if they were allowed to do this investigation. There was a good chance that she could be forced to stay behind, by either the First Order or by her boss, [member="Darth Crucifere"] . But for now she just assumed that she would be allowed to go.

[member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[AP-01]

AP-01 curtly nodded at [member="Lady Kay"]'s organizational structure, feeling that the plans were sufficient for the operation at hand. While he felt somewhat comfortable with [member="Oron Verd"], someone who seemed to carry himself with respect, he didn't particularly enjoy having to work with [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"]. He was not only drunk at the meeting, but he seemed rather unpredictable, which in his past experience in the field, had always proved to be a liability. "It would be a pleasure to work with you both, Mister Verd and Kurayami." He rasped.

The other pairings that Kay had set up were... interesting to say the least. The friendly and boisterous [member="Ghorua the Shark"] had been paired with the cold and powerful [member="Hyori Tal"], and the boss herself! At least the brash youngsters, [member="Max Fel"] and [member="Darlyn Excron"] were paired together. "Miss Kay, is it wise for the leader of the operation to be on the ground herself? It could only lead to trouble and complications." He suggested.

However, his focus was now on [member="Darth Crucifere"], and tending to his fresh wounds. "If you would follow me, Mister Sin, I will be able to treat you." AP-01 said, motioning for him to trail behind him.

[member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"She'll be fine [member="AP-01"], senators usually have some tricks up their sleeve. Literally and figuratively I would imagine. Messing with senators can sometimes awaken a Force you don't want to mess with. Besides, I imagine [member="Lady Kay"] has all the security codes she could ever need down there. With labs and dormitories in that group's task they would be a necessity." Of course he knew that the ex-senator Kay was trying to hide her force sensitivity. He was still going to antagonize what he assumed was a Jedi, however. She'd be safe as his employer for now, not to mention [member="Ghorua the Shark"] was part of her team, and he somewhat respected the herglic. But he was going to continue to skirt around the edge of revealing her secret, for his own personal amusement.

After all, he said nothing out of the ordinary. Awakening a force in someone was a fairly common phrase after all. Still, a whole day to prepare.. that was going to be a bit of a problem. He glanced over at Romeo and Kay both in turn, humming softly. What would he do, he needed perhaps explosives for tomorrow, and time to meditate. "I don't suppose you have a place I could stay then, Miss Kay? It would appear I'm the only one here without a ship of my own for the night."

Of course he had to be wary of that woman, the First Order one.. agent [member="Hyori Tal"]. He could imagine she had little to think of him for now, but he figured it could change quickly if she had even a slight inkling of what he really had going on. He was not in the mood to be 'recruited' for a cause besides his own today.

Then there was the Mandalorian. Someone, probably the only person outside of Ghorua that he outright respected. Mandalorians were fearsome opponents, and he had seen a few in combat over his years hunting the Jedi for his once master. True, he had never seen this man before, this [member="Oron Verd"], but if he was even slightly like some of his brethren then he was certain they would b in good hands.

[member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"] [member="Darth Crucifere"] [member="Max Fel"]

 

[Ludolf Vaas]

General Vaas' low voice came over Hyori's earpiece with minimal interference.

"Agent Tal," He commanded her in his usual basso profundo, his voice devoid of any emotion save for sternness, with a slight hint of irritation. "I do not know who this motley crew is, but they should know that they are trespassing on First Order space."

Before Agent Tal could interject, Ludolf continued, guessing what her response might be. "I understand their leader is one of the company's major shareholders. But she should never have brought mercenaries here to our planet. Inform the team that the rescue operation will continue as planned, but that you will be assuming joint command in the name of the First Order. All orders to these mercenaries must first be cleared by you, Agent Tal. If any of them wander our planet outside of directive, you are to terminate them. Is that clear?"

[member="Hyori Tal"] [member="Lady Kay"] [member="Darlyn Excron"] @AP-01 @Kurayami Bloodborn

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

"Sounds like a larger transport which I assume will be provided for me to pilot. I brought a 1 person ship, not expecting to have to fly at all. [member="Lady Kay"], I do not mean to be placing demands on you at such a point, but I will need the technical specifications of the ship, time to familiarize myself with control layout and general layout including any weapons emplacements. If the best you can give me is blueprints then I can work with that as well. "

When she mentioned his team he glanced back at his HUD, tagging them. [member="AP-01"] and [member="Oron Verd"]. Just his luck to get the assassin droid and random Mando latecomer. Since he had heard the names of those gathered he began to run the names through any Holonet databases he could manage to get access to. The results were just basic things that could be easily found by anyone. Basically exactly what had been brought up was all that was found.

Admittedly, he was not completely calm. His mind was constantly running through different scenarios, and not many ended well with the First Order being present. Granted [member="Hyori Tal"] didn't help calm him at all, and her detachment of Stormtroopers only made him more uncomfortable. All this was aside from the fact that she wasn't currently anywhere near the group while speaking with her superior. He had gotten many of those comms messages and he knew the basic gist of it was if anyone stepped out of line to eliminate them. They were welcome to watch his every move, the could even watch what he did on the Holonet for all he cared, as long as they broke the encrypted signal. At worst he would seem to be a bit paranoid since he ran everyone present through a background check.

Though his hand still rested on the hilt, he made no move to remove it from his hip. His senses were on edge and he was ready. They had a day to prepare, if he could get even a few hours in to check over the ship he was expected to fly all would be well. At least up until the drop. After that would remain to be seen.

[member="Max Fel"] [member="Darlyn Excron"] [member="Darth Crucifere"] [member="Ghorua the Shark"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua the Shark had stayed quiet for quite some time, as various people joined Kay by the ship. [member="Lady Kay"]'s plan was a solid one. The idea of working with [member="Hyori Tal"] pleased him. Ghorua enjoyed annoying those that fancied themselves above him. Whether she thought herself his superior or not, the Herglic didn't know, but she did need to lighten up.

"Don't worry about me, Kay. I've got my own suit. And, as much as I absolutely hate your guts, it's not a bad plan." Ghorua grinned sharply, then looked to where Hyori was. He didn't know what she was doing, perhaps reporting on the current situation. Ghorua didn't necessarily care. He was decently safe in First Order space. Being a high-ranking member in the Bounty Hunter's Guild, who had a bit of a partnership with the Order, would keep him alive here.

He turned to the rest of the group, which now consisted of the assassin droid [member="AP-01"], Kay, the young Hunter [member="Darlyn Excron"], [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] the drunkard, the Mando [member="Oron Verd"], the bloody stranger [member="Darth Crucifere"], and the 'more finesse than just a blaster' man [member="Max Fel"]. He waved happily, rows of serrated teeth easily visible in his maw. "After this, rounds are on me. Even for this guy!" He laughed, patting Bloodborn on the back. "This guy could probably drink me under the table!" In situations like this, everyone was always so tense. Ghorua was used to calming down situations, despite his grotesque appearance. Sometimes, all a serious person needs is a good laugh. Or a good punch in the face.

They were quite the taskforce, more than one would need for the mission that seemed to be unfolding. A simple search-and-rescue might require a small squad of guards, not a plethora of highly-dangerous individuals. But Ghorua wouldn't complain. The more the merrier.

- [member="Ludolf Vaas"] -

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Hyori stood taller at the very sound of General [member="Ludolf Vaas"]’ sharp tone. Though she had not been granted the opportunity to meet the General in person yet, it was evident that he was a very formidable man. Had she been of the weak stock that succumbed easily to fear, there was no doubt that she would have been afraid. His words did not make her feel any sense of unease, but they did impress upon her the might of the First Order’s high command.

“Yes, general,” She replied in a firm tone, “I understand.”

There was one more piece of business that she wished to bring to General Vaas’ attention.

“Sir, I feel that I should also inform you that the Mandolorians have a presence here as well, one known as Oron Verd.”

It went without saying that she would be keeping a close eye on the man. Before terminating the link, she spoke one more time.

“I shall keep you up to date.”

Hyori’s swift footsteps brought her back towards the group, and she moved with a renewed sense of duty. The Lieutenant greeted her upon her return and took her aside. She listened intently as he relayed the information she had missed, and she narrowed her eyes upon learning that the group had been organized into smaller parties. As she was now taking partial command of these mercenaries, it would be difficult to maintain responsibility for them if they split into too many groups. After all, she was only one woman, and she could not be in multiple places at once. However, as her dark gaze fell upon the droid, she was struck with sudden inspiration.

The agent moved towards Lady Kay, and she let her gaze lock with the other woman’s as she began to speak.

“Please be informed that the First Order will be assuming joint command of this mission. You may carry on with your investigation; however, any orders to your men will need to be approved by me. As such, I have re-organized the groups as follows...”

Hyori stepped forward to address to address everyone.

“I will be joining [member="Lady Kay"], Mr. Sin, [member="Ghorua the Shark"], and [member="Oron Verd"].”

She did not need to explain that the second group would be comprised of: [member="Max Fel"], [member="Darlyn Excron"], [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"], and [member="AP-01"].

Hyori approached the droid and a subtle wave of her hand signaled for two Stormtroopers to follow behind her.

“AP-01,” She started in a commanding tone, “As of now, you are an acting member of First Order Intelligence. You report directly to me. Accompany and assist your group, but maintain an open comm channel to me at all times. You will obey all orders. Do you understand?”

AP was a droid, if she knew anything about machines; it was they normally responded quite well to authority. But just to be safe, she stepped aside so that he could plainly see the two troopers.

“If you do not understand, then your programming will be terminated immediately.”

 

[Kay-Larr]

Of all the people in the group that she'd if thought would want her to stay behind, she never would of guessed that [member="AP-01"] would be the first to suggest it. "I've gone on a lot of missions. I am hardly the type to just give commands in an office somewhere. I just don't find it fair to send people into danger without being willing to go there myself."

[member="Ghorua the Shark"] hates her guts? Surely he didn't mean it. She could have done far worse than this life debt after what he had done to her. But she saw that he was capable of more than just what he liked to portray. "Thank you for the support Ghorua, and the tough love." She gave him a small smile.


[member="Darlyn Excron"] seemed to know her secret. And his double-meanings in the manner that he spoke told her that he wanted her to know it too. No doubt he would try to exploit that later. Yet still, business was business and he was still useful."There are guest rooms here at headquarters. You may use one of thise. But no wild parties, please."

Now she looked to [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] as he had requested to get familiar with the ship that he will be flying. "Flying won't be your only task. Merely just a part of it. But of course you are welcome to test the ship and get a feel for her before we leave in the morning. She took out one of her datapads from her satchel, turned it on and brought up the schematics for 'The Rusty Bucket' ( http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/YV-929_armed_freighter )"You'll find her in hanger bay 3."

Now Kay looked to [member="Hyori Tal"] as she approached her, holding her gaze, though clearly she didn't fully like how her organizing based on skills was now being tossed out the window. Was this just out of spite? After the Agent pretty much threatened the droid, she took a step towards her, just one though as Storm Troopers sometimes had itchy trigger fingers. "With al due respect, Agent Tal, I had everything well under control. With only two teams, this investigation will take longer. You would still have an open frequency with everyone here, but there is really no need for this. I would hope that your requests will become adaptable to the situation once it unfolds?" If she had the time, then she would have asked the First Order permission first before coming. But there just wasn't any time for that. Lives were at stake.

[member="Darth Crucifere"] [member="Oron Verd"] [member="Max Fel"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[AP-01]

AP-01 blankly stared at [member="Hyori Tal"] before chuckling under his breath. "Miss Tal, may I talk to you in private for a moment?" He politely asked, as he clamped one of his cold metallic hands on her shoulder and dragged her to where the group couldn't here her. "Miss Tal, judging from the way you carry yourself and what appears to be your place of power in the First Order, I respect you. You seem like a woman of ambition and diligence, a true soldier. I would be willing to work with you and your First Order without hesitation." He told her in a lilting tone.

"But," He darkly stated, his voice becoming harsh and grating, "You must treat me with respect. I am not some plain droid that you can use as a pawn and simply throw away at a whim, something to be disposed of. I am one of the finest assassins within this entire GALAXY. If you try and threaten me again Miss Tal, I will easily dispose of you and your pathetic honor guard behind you. And, if by some miracle you manage to dispose of me, our little group of mercenary scum will eliminate you with no trouble. I've been alive for nearly a century, I've seen empires rise and fall, and your Order is just another name on the list, so I personally don't feel threatened by your fluke of an organization. I'll work with you cause frankly I like you better than this parade of losers behind us, but your attitude to me is nothing but deplorable. Now, as a show of good faith, follow my lead." AP-01 threatened, staring down Hyori.

"While I thank you for your offer Miss Tal, I'm afraid I must decline." He stated loudly, quickly nodding at her and walking back to the group.

[member="Lady Kay"] [member="Ghorua the Shark"] [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"] [member="Darlyn Excron"] [member="Max Fel"]

 

[Darth Rixas]

Every time someone stepped out of earshot, they came back a different person. Filled with sudden bravado, or brimming with a misguided sense of astute power, or were even defiant and the myriad of traits that came along with such an attitude. Oron first noticed it when [member="Hyori Tal"] stepped away for her quiet conversation. She had the makings of most Agents. Straight backs, proper speech, commanding tones and inflections, but she shared something else that all agents did, especially the one's Oron has layed eyes on. The amount of time she was away and the sudden pep in her step once she returned confirmed it. The Mandalorian remained silent behind the shield of his helmet, but the slight turn of his head as he followed her resounded his own suspicions. Pride laced her frame and her steps were swift, as if an invisible force was hurrying her along.

She's on a leash.

And to push Oron's inquisitive mind even further over the edge she reorganized the groups.

“I will be joining Lady Kay, Mr. Sin, Ghorua, and Oron Verd.”

Narrowed eyes found themselves glued to the petite woman as Oron remained still. First a call, and now she wished to conveniently rearrange the teams to pull Oron from his former set to a new one, which she included herself in as well. She's watching me. But why? Although Oron's reason for being here was vague at best, and now he had the First Order's hound sniffing him, he didn't believe he needed a Watcher. He swiveled then, turning his attention to the Assassin Droid, searching for a reaction to Hyori's threat to have him terminated should he refuse to obey her. Such coldness rolled over him, much like [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"]'s speech earlier. Talks of friendly fire and desertion - Unnecessary and uninspiring. During what now seemed like a lifetime ago, Oron would have wondered what was the purpose of such words among men and women whom operated in a field such as mercenary work, but these days he realized and recognized that there would always be those whom would simply rather hear the sound of their voice rather than actually elevate a band's conversation or situation. Then again, it could've been the alcohol more than himself speaking. He turned his head again, this time to [member="Lady Kay"].

She made mention of needing pressure suits because of the air's density levels underground. "I'm in [member="Ghorua the Shark"]'s lane. My suit will do just fine." Oron said simply. The Herglic seemed to be a capable warrior, which was enough to get Oron's respect but the alien also paired it with a likable sense of humor. It was something the Mandalorian lacked, but indulged in when others around him possessed such a funny bone. Ghorua wouldn't hear it, but Oron chuckled at his comments. Then the Mandalorian moved his gaze again, Lady Kay was moving.

But not far. She stopped just short of a Stormtroopers threat range to speak to Hyori. Too far away to be unnecessarily attacked but close enough for them to want to rest their hands on their pistols, even if they didn't. Smart woman. She wouldn't allow Hyori to take control of the operation, at least not completely. She made valid points and Oron could hear the conviction in her tone, but he was unsure if it would move Hyori. If her leash was as tight as Oron believed, they'd have to compromise somewhere in the middle for command. But before the Agent could respond, [member="AP-01"]'s voice vocabulator activated as he voiced his wish to speak to her in private, though he left her no choice as he ushered the agent away from the group. He studied them and their movements, as he did everything and everyone. Oron folded his arms across his chest and watched as AP departed, stating quite loudly that he was not going along with her plans. Why loudly, why not while they had their private conversation seconds prior? What was the nod for? The Mandalorian rolled his shoulders and looked away from the scene AP was attempting to roll out.

I don't buy it.

[member="Darlyn Excron"]

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Hyori's eyes narrowed dangerously as AP-01's hand came to rest on her shoulder, and he proceeded to pull her away in a manner that lacked subtlety. However, despite the raging urge within, she did not object. Once the two were alone, she listened to his words of praise, and then to the words that one might judge as harsh. Hyori merely perked a brow ever so slightly at his criticism of her methods and personality. It seemed to her that this droid may well have had more threads connected to humanity than she did. There were things that Agent Tal failed to comprehend, such as empathy, she had never had much success attempting to place herself in the shoes of others. Did it matter to her that AP-01 found her attitude unsatisfactory? It did not, but she recognized that she would need to appear more congenial in front of him for this to work.

And though she did not fully understand his motivation for bringing all of this knowledge to her attention, she could not overlook the fact that he had raised some worthwhile points. Indeed, it would be quite simple for this band of mercenaries to dispose of her, but she knew that they likely feared the repercussions that would follow.

"Very well, AP-01," Hyori spoke, some of the chill from earlier was absent from her tone. "Your grievances have been noted. I welcome your assistance, but please be aware that insubordination will not be tolerated."

As they neared the group again she watched as the droid put on a bit of a show to save face in front of the others. The two troopers moved forward, but a wave of Hyori's hand let them know to stand down. She turned her attention back to Lady Kay, having noticed that the former senator had not taken favorably to her changes.

"I understand your concerns," She started, "And I do realize that two groups will cause a slight delay, but that is a small price, considering your alternatives. We can proceed as planned, or you may contact First Order command to seek the proper permission for your investigation."

Now Lady Kay had a decision to make, but in Hyori's opinion, the choice was clear.

[member="Lady Kay"], [member="AP-01"], [member="Darlyn Excron"], [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"], [member="Ghorua the Shark"], [member="Max Fel"], [member="Oron Verd"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua the Shark had decided that he didn't like this [member="Hyori Tal"]. She had come back from communicating with... someone... with a purpose. That purpose, apparently, was to take control over the situation. In trying to establish dominance over the rest of the group, she had rearranged the teams for no apparent reason, perhaps even hindering the mission. Ghorua understood pride. Ghorua understood trying to assert oneself. But potentially wrecking a mission because of ones own personal agenda was unprofessional. Ghorua felt his opinion of her, and the First Order, drop. His sudden anger triggered something.

He felt his brain begin to pulse with a primal anger. For but a moment, the feral side of his brain wanted to tear the agent apart, tear them all apart. He could imagine their bodies in pieces, strewn across the port. His muscles began to quiver, mouth going from a smile to a dangerous snarl. The predator's pupils dilated. Then, the moment passed. The ginormous hunter had to massage his head. Ugh, not another episode.

Ghorua had told no one of his recent problems. More and more recently, his anger, or the smell of blood, snapped something in his mind. The Shark had dubbed his mental disability 'the Blood Frenzy'. He liked the sound of it, but it was a flashy brand on a dark problem, created when he was genetically modified. Something bestial had found it's way into his brain, something he had little control over. The Force-Users in the group would have easily identify the overwhelming rage, a rare glimpse into the mind of a broken, scared being in a hulk's body.

The Herglic found his smile again, perhaps a moment too late. "I agree with [member="Lady Kay"], Ms. Tal. Bigger groups will only slow the process."

Then the droid [member="AP-01"] dragged Hyori away, and came back later. Ghorua had a hard time reading droids' emotions. Their brains worked differently than an organic one. But if the Order Agent had talked to Ghorua like that, he would've been furious. Who knows what AP-01 was thinking?

"Now, I'm sure a big brute like me has no say in the strategic side of things," he looked between Kay and Tal, feigning stupidity, "But splitting into smaller groups, especially for a low-risk mission like this, is preferable."

- [member="Oron Verd"] - [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] - [member="Ludolf Vaas"] - [member="Darlyn Excron"] -

 

[Darlyn Excron]

Darlyn's nerves were being tested by this rather, well bossy individual. She seemed to think her idea was the best possible option, and not only that she expected everyone to simply conform to her will. It was absolutely ridiculous, more so because she herself thought it was a smart idea. She was genuinely outnumbered here, and on the ground she would be very vulnerable to betrayal because of her actions. So he thought she ought to know as much, and stepped forward without even a bit of fear. He could feel the general sensations of the two stormtroopers as he approached, and almost felt the pressure of the blasters moving to aim at him. Yet still he got rather close to [member="Hyori Tal"] and [member="Lady Kay"] both.

"I believe we all need five minutes to breathe. We're a day early, yes Lady Kay? Well how's this. Everyone calms down for five minutes, take a nap and rest up for tomorrow. Agent Tal and Kay can have a chat and come up with a plan you both can agree with. Eight out of nine Kay suggested are against your suggestion, Tal. I get you aren't a democracy person, but even you should realize that it would simply be best to agree to the size of the teams, and fix the composition of each to your liking. That way you don't end up with a Mando, a giant shark, and who knows what else in this group upset and angry at you. Up here you have the advantage of your fleet but down there you won't. Just be smart and take what you can get, forcing the situation will get you killed more often than adjusting to the present. Now then, Kay, I would much like to take a rest and practice for the mission. Would you be so kind as to take me to this headquarters before someone gets in trouble here?"

He thought he was being calm and reasonable, though of course as frustrated as he was he had almost burst in anger already. In fact he had contemplated choking Tal to make his point clear, but with the present company of stormtroopers, along with the others, that would've been a bad idea. Surely [member="Ghorua the Shark"] would've realized how close Darlyn had been to his breakdown, the two hadn't done much hunting together but they had worked together before. Darlyn got choke happy when he was angry. And He was almost angry.

[member="Oron Verd"] [member="AP-01"] [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"] [member="Max Fel"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay did not like the idea if having to go through First Order command in order to proceed with the investigation. That would only cause a further delay and in the end, there was no guarantee that it would be granted anyways, due to her actions both in the past and in the present with the Republic. They could refuse out of spite, just to illustrate their power.

[member="Oron Verd"] had his own suit taken care of. That was good and took one thing off of her list. There were so many different types of suits these days, it was hard to pinpoint which did what. She nodded her head in acknowledgement to the Mandalorian to let him know that he was heard.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"] 's sudden change was not lost on her. Even though she was focused on hiding her abilities, which made it more difficult to feel things through the Force, that look in his eyes and snarl in his features let her know that something was off. Either it was him or the situation, or perhaps even a combination of the two, it was very unlike the Shark that had caught her all those months ago. She didn't want to be on his bad side. At least, mostly due to the life debt, she had him on hers.

[member="Darlyn Excron"] spoke up next as he approached. Kay watched the Troopers to see what they would do, as well as Agent [member="Hyori Tal"] . She listened to what he had to say and his suggestions were sound. That was surprising coming from him, it was a change from his earlier behaviour.

Romeo on the other hand had seemed to have given them the slip. Wherever he had gone, she knew that she would find out soon enough. It was his way. No doubt he had something urgent to tend to, and with all of these recent hires watching her back, there was no need for his added protection.

Now it was up to her. Kay looked to Agent Tal and spoke up. "With all due respect, the teams that I had created were by no means made in such a way to be a disadvantage to you. Rather they had more to do with each of their skill sets. I am not playing politics here. This is an investigation and hopefully a rescue mission. To wait to go through proper channels might take too long. Waiting until morning only gives me the time to gather the supplies and get everyone coordinated. As Darlyn suggests, we could readjust the teams if necessary, but there needs to be three to give us a proper sweep of all of the levels quickly and efficiently. If you prefer, you can bring a couple of your Troopers along with our teams to ensure you that our intentions are honest ones. Darlyn, after Agent Tal is finished with us, I will have you shown to your guest room, as well as anyone else that needs one." And here Kay had thought that discussions only took so long in the halls of the Senate. She had no idea that they could take this long in the field as well. Her own missions to free slaves was never this complicated. But there's always a first time for everything.

[member="AP-01"] [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] [member="Max Fel"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Agent Tal exhaled slowly through her nose, this was the exact reason she had not pursued a career within the ranks of command. She was not a people person. These people did not understand that Hyori came from a personal and professional background where personal views did not matter. These mercenaries were in First Order space, and to Hyori, this should have meant that they would obey a very simple and clear order. Groups that moved swiftly and efficiently would be able to cover ground at a sufficient rate. However, everyone seemed to have an opinion... If this was truly a time-sensitive matter, why they were spending so much time preparing when they could simply leave sooner and waste less time?

It was becoming quite clear that the atmosphere in the group was changing. It was easy to see the way that [member="Ghorua the Shark"] bristled, a clear sign that he was not pleased with her presence. But she was not bothered; after all, she was not here to make friends.

No matter how tiresome she was finding her new ‘companions’, she had orders to follow and she would see them through. Her eyes then turned to Darlyn and narrowed slightly as he spilled forth into a monologue. Had she given the impression that she was not calm? Hyori figured that he was speaking in terms of the group surrounding her, but before he finished speaking, the corner of her eye twitched ever so slightly. Even though she may have had her suspicions about [member="Oron Verd"], at least he was quiet.

Next, Hyori’s attention moved back to [member="Lady Kay"] and she listened to her plea again. The agent decided that her changes were not worth the trouble, but she did not like the idea of backing down and appearing weak. However, the thought of having to engage in any more ‘diplomatic’ arguments was enough to make her conjure thoughts of turning her own blaster on herself.

“Fine,” She said shortly, a tiny crack in her shell of composure breaking, “Lieutenant Vulen,”

Hyori motioned for the Stormtrooper to step forward.

“You and one of your fellow Stormtroopers will accompany [member="Max Fel"] and [member="Darlyn Excron"].”

At least she had [member="AP-01"] on her side now, as the droid would now have to take the place of her ever watchful eyes.

[member="Kurayami Bloodborn"]