Oh No, Not Now..

[Kay-Larr]

Kay blinked in surprise. [member="Kyle Amedis"] was going to let her go? That was going to be her next question for him, but his urgency caused her to bite her tongue. She handed him her satchel so that she wouldn't be seen carrying it, just like before and then let him take her arm. But before they left her cell, she spoke up quickly. "What about my pilot? I can't leave without him..." Her eyes pleaded with him. Maybe now he'll be a bit more sympathetic, but she just couldn't leave without Terrac. And she just couldn't wait to see the old man's expressions when she told him of how they were able to escape. He would probably never believe it. Kay hoped that this wasn't going to be the first and only time that she would get to see her big brother. And she also hoped that he wouldn't get into trouble for this.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Doubt was racing in his mind, and he hated her for pushing it on him. He was a human, with no – what he thought – family or close friends. He lived to serve the only thing he knew, and now all his morals were questioned in a heartbeat and a surprise revelation. If he stopped to think, he’d close up, or vomit, or ignore her.

”Just…follow me and shut up."

So began his hair-brained plan.

Leading [member="Lady Kay"] out, his hand around her harm – albeit far more gentle than before – he marched her out and ordered the waiting trooper across the way to bring the male pilot, who was in good health it seemed.

There, the two troopers marched their prisoners back to the hangar and commanded an officer to pilot them down to the surface.

They would reach the surface and her ship, which was now abandoned and already forgotten about probably. It was here the troopers would debark with Kay and her pilot under orders that Kyle had broken Kay into providing them with that really was hidden on their ship.

”Watch him," Kyle pointed to the pilot as he took Kay out as gun point.

Yards out, he whispered to his…sister.

”Indicate where we are to go, and I mean it, the second I bend down to get in, take my blaster and hit me as hard as you can in the face. It won’t hurt much, but make sure you break this helmet. You’ll have no trouble over-powering JT-2213 there."

He pushed her along for appearances sake.

”Get out of here. Don’t come back to this system."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay did what she was told. She shut up and kept her head down as she was being led away. When her pilot was brought out, she was relieved to see that he was okay. The look on his face indicated that he was glad the she was too. He had other questions but knew that they would be answered later. As far as he was aware, they were just getting carted off to a prison somewhere. That is until he had heard that they were going down to the surface. Maybe his boss got them out of this mess afterall?

As soon as they landed and got out, she raised a brow at the plan that [member="Kyle Amedis"] had cooked up. Hit him so hard that his helmet breaks? She wasn't so sure that she was strong enough. But she tried anyways. She pointed to the inside. "It's right there...the access panel is there..."

As soon as his back was turned, Kay grabbed his blaster and pushed him down before pistol whipping him. Terrac and the Trooper pilot watched in stunned silence for a second before they even thought of reacting. Terrac quickly turned on the trooper, moving faster than one could assume that someone of his age could do. He grabbed the pilot's blaster, flicked it to stun with his thumb and then fired at close range. Less chance of missing that way. He spoke in the grumpy manner that she was used to, but she knew that he was pleased. "You've really started something now, doll. What's the matter? Not enough danger out there for you? Now we've got to watch our backs for the First Order. Tracker or not, let's get out of here."

Whether Kyle was faking it or not, Kay dragged him up the rest of the way. He probably meant for her to leave him behind, but she just couldn't. Maybe later she'll drop him off somewhere to be found, but for now, Kyle was her prisoner. Terrac didn't say anything about it. He just made his way to the cockpit and fired the Free Lady up, planning on being in hyperspace by the time that pilot woke up.

Kay closed the ramp and braced herself for the take off, removing Kyle's helmet to see if he was awake. "Kyle?..." The floor rumbled as the engines were brought to life and the ship was lifted into the atmosphere.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle hated being rendered unconscious - it always left him with a banging headache and sore muscles. From being a bodyguard to Chiss royalty, to training troops and leading them into battle, he'd run into his fair share of blackouts. Now, he didn't expect it to come from his own sister!

There was silence and he heard his name; was it Ricochet? Had he been found? Opening his eyes to a dimly lit interior, he blinked, and looked left and saw [member="Lady Kay"] - this wasn't right?

”We must...ow....." the slowly pushed himself up in his armour, realizing his helmet was off, ”...we must be related. You're just as foolish as I am. This wasn't the plan."

He stretched out as best he could in the armour, unable to really rub his wound. He glanced around. They were inside a ship, and the pilot was with them. This was a strange situation, and he still heard that doubt inside that was making him think the whole thing wasn't real.

”Where are we? Are we ok....where are you taking me?"

Kyle noted his blaster was gone, and he traced the empty holster up and across to the arms of the pilot, with a familiar E11 in his hands and a cocky smirk on his face.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smirked as he called her foolish. She helped him to sit up and looked over the back of his head. At least it wasn't bleeding, but it was still forming into a nasty bump. "I know...I'm sorry. But I thought it would be better this way. We won't be long and soon you'll be back with the First Order. As for where we are going? We'll head into Hutt Cartel space and then swing back around before we drop you off."

She looked up to Terrac as he just watched them. "Another stray? You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"He's my brother. Or at least I think tha--"

"Your brother?! Oh like that makes everything all hunky dory. He's right you know. You ARE foolish. I should doublecheck our shielding systems. Your little family reunion is going to be hosting some very unhappy people." Terrac turned, shaking his head as he left for the cockpit. He was right. More than likely they'll soon be tracked and followed. Staying out of neutral space was their best bet for the moment.

Kay looked to Kyle as he seemed to be quiet over the exchange. "Come on. I'll help you to the crew lounge. We should talk while we have the chance." She grabbed her satchel and then held out her hand for him. At least knocking him out was payback for his strikes against her. And weren't siblings always competing against eachother?

[member="Kyle Amedis"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle was the fish out of water now - unarmed and with the "enemy". He still had to play it carefully until he was satisfied. Taking [member="Lady Kay"] by the hand, he stood up, the armour now a little dirtier across the front after his fall.

”Thanks, and don't worry pal," he looked at the pilot, ”I may be a Captain with the White Wolves and I'm sure there will be a warrant out for your arrest but we ain't going to be tracked. You have time. I'm not that important in the mighty war machine."

Was that a bit of resentment to the Order he'd served for years? Maybe it was. Seeping out a little after he was being talked to like a human, not a soldier. He followed Kay gingerly, looking around the ship he walked through.

”If you don't mind, I'd a like a little more digging before I take this for what you say - that message - says. This has all come a little fast. How long have you known? Are you really my sister?"

He smiled a little, partly enjoying the fact he had someone out there related to him.

 

[Kay-Larr]

A warrant for Terrac's arrest? That's not good. He didn't do anything but do as his boss told him. Well, it's not the first time that a lady had gotten him into trouble.

She led him to the crew lounge. That armour must be really uncomfortable, but she didn't have anything for him to change into. Once in the room, she invited him to sit down on one of the plush chairs, then sat down on the one across from his. Even though he seemed to be nice now, it could all just be an act.

"I've only known for a few weeks. It was hard for me to believe too, but then discovering that you have a family somewhere is every orphan's dream. But to find that it's you...well that is a shock. Yet if you want to do a dna test, then that'll be fine. It'll prove it either way for us." Of course she didn't have the right equipment here to have it analysed, but there were plenty of places that could do it for them.

"We'll have to figure out what will happen now. And by that I mean, what will we do if we are related, and what will we do if you are not?"

[member="Kyle Amedis"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle pulled his neck plate open, letting in a bit more air, and sat down with a soft clunk, once again looking around for anything to say it was a nasty trap.

”I don't know what happens. If we aren't related, I hope you'd leave me on a planet and we never talk or this again and I never even SEE you again. But if we are...I don't know."

He scratched his temple, checking there was no blood, which was habit.

”The First Order is all I've known, and I must go back. But...are you with the Republic or fighting against us? How do I go about explaining this? I'd be forced to...to...." he trailed off.

The First Order didn't allow personal feelings and emotions get in the way of their ultimate goal. If Kyle was related to Kay, a figure in the Republic, and the Supreme Commander found out, it wouldn't be long before Captain Amedis would be used to lead an assault and show his sister where his "real" alleigence was.

He chewed his cheek and looked up at [member="Lady Kay"].

”So, what are you really? Are you a Senator, or not? Are you undercover? A spy?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay didn't like the idea of possibly never seeing [member="Kyle Amedis"] again. If he was her brother, then she just wouldn't want to let go. It was bad enough that their parents sent her away because they felt she was an abomination. To have to go through it again would be almost unbearable.

"I never lied. I used to be a Senator for the Republic, but I'm not anymore. Publically it is said that I stepped down after fumbling the negotiations with the Mandalorians. But in reality, the new Supreme Chancellor was told of my sensitivity to the Force and he fired me. Force users are not allowed to serve in Government. Having lost everything, I camped out where I could, stayed alone for a couple of weeks until a close friend found me. He's sort of adopted me as his sister and was recently elected President of the Free Colonies. Their territory isn't far from your own, but still small enough and far enough away to not be noticed. I was hired on as the Minister of Diplomacy for them and have been doing that ever since. As for the First Order? This is the first time that I have encountered them. My instincts have always told me to stay away. Maybe it's because of our Father."

Kyle didn't know what Tobias Larr looked like yet, so she pulled out his framed picture from her satchel. Maybe his face would be one that he would recognize. She didn't like the look of hate in his eyes, they seemed to bore right into your soul. "I never intended to put you in a bad position, you know."

 

[Connor Harrison]

He listened intently, piecing it all together. When she pulled out the picture, he leaned over and took it. Taking in the man’s face, Kyle shook his head.

”I’ve never heard the name. I don’t recognise him. I was born to Alvo and Wren Amedis, on Corellia. Bela Vista. A beautiful mountain city." He handed the pictured back. ”My father, Alvo, died when I was 17 whilst climbing and I left when I was 19 for CorSec. Let’s just say that all went sour and I eventually joined the Imperial Academy on Corellia, enlisted with the First Order and I’ve been serving ever since. No family that I knew about, no real friends. Just serving the Order."

He drummed his finger on the small table beside where he was sat, looking at the pattern he was making. Then, he frowned.

”You’re a Force sensitive? Why aren’t you a Jedi Knight? Pretty powerful beings, I should know."

Then, he looked away for a second, and the up in thought.

”Does that mean I’m sensitive? Is the Force something I have if you do, and we are related?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded as she listened to his story. He had a better upbringing than she did, even though the man that raised him had a tragic end. As for him joining the First Order, it only made sense. It was the family business, so to speak.

Then [member="Kyle Amedis"] asked her about the Jedi and being Force sensitive. She chewed the inside if her cheek a bit, feeling as the ship went into hyperspace. No turning back now from this situation. If Terrac had a warrant out for his arrest, then she surely would too. Not that it really mattered. They weren't much different than bounties.

"I'm not a Jedi Knight because I try to keep my Force sensitivity a secret. There isn't a lot of people that know about it. Though I am having some training now in defensive techniques. None of it involves breaking people's minds though like your Knights of Ren. As for you being Force sensitive? I don't think that you are, otherwise you would have been sent away and abandoned like me, instead of being sent to live with relatives. But you could always have that checked too."

It was probably good that he hadn't come across Tobias. But that didn't mean that he wasn't watched. More than likely he had a network of spies like [member="Darth Ferus"] did to watch over her.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle shook his head, and his hand.

”Forget it. I'm sure if I was the Ren would have taken me as one of their own, not a lacky trooper doing their dirty work."

He indicated to the man with his E11.

”So what's your story? You my Uncle, or half-brother, or what?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow. She figured that it was the Ren that were doing the dirty work for the Imperials. But there is plenty that she doesn't know about both.

As [member="Kyle Amedis"] gestured to Terrac, she looked up, having not expected him to be there. The old pilot refilled his flask with whiskey. "Half brother? I like you, kid. Nothing wrong with flattering an old fossil like me."

"Nah, Terrac isn't related to us. He's just a pilot for hire." Kay looked at Kyle and smirked before laughing. "Could be worse. You could have found out that we were betrothed."

A bang interrupted their conversation, followed by alarms. "You just had to say it, doll, didn't you? It just got worse." He hurried over to the cockpit as the Free Lady was brought out of hyperspace. As the streaks of stars shrank to fine points, their mouths dropped as a Star Destroyer seemed to have blocked their path. Hanger bays opened and the TIE fighters began spilling out. "Oh yeah, this is worse! Buckle in! We've got company!! The troopers must have sabotaged our hyperdrive! Hang on!" He flicked the switches for shields and the few weapons the ship carried as Kay jumped into the co-pilot seat, buckling herself in. The old guy lived for this, it made him feel alive. That was why he hung around Kay. Trouble always found her.

 

[Connor Harrison]

For the first time, Kyle afforded himself a little smile and chuckle. It certainly was a situation he never expected himself in. But that little release was cut short by the sound of klaxons

”The First Order."

Stating the obvious as he craned his neck to see through the cock-pit, Kyle rubbed his hands together, thinking. They had come for him, and he would bet that they now had a capture order out on [member="Lady Kay"] and Terrac for kidnapping Captain Amedis. He couldn't let them detain his sister - even if his head was still swirling and he needed physical proof; they'd torture her or worse.

”Do what you can to evade them and get the hell out of here. Do you have any weapons systems here, manual or automatic?"

He stood and moved just behind the cockpit, a strange sight of a near-traitorous First Order trooper trying to help both sides reach a solution with no - or few - fatalities.

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Weapons are manual and not very powerful. At least against a destroyer. Just keep them at bay while our doll here finds us a new route. I'll handle the turns. I sure hope you guys have strong stomachs." One thing that Terrac was glad about for the ship was that it had plenty of shielding. But it lacked in firepower. That was the big issue. Not in most situations, but more than likely in this one as they were vastly outnumbered.

Kay kept her eyes on the TIE fighters, hanging on as Terrac began dodging their fire. Though at the moment it didn't seem as though they were going to be blown out of the sky. All of this for one trooper? Her mind reeled over the possibilities. If [member="Kyle Amedis"] was really being watched, then it would make sense that they would be trying to get him back."Kyle...if things start to go sour, what if you jumped into an escape pod and we jettisoned you out? That could give us the spare moments that we need to make another jump." That is if they could do a jump. How they were knocked out of hyperspace was a mystery at the moment. They would need to find a place to hide. Being captured again was not in their best interest...

 

[Tobias Larr]

"Remember, the ship is to be taken intact. I want the occupants brought to me alive." Under other circumstances Tobias would not have cared for the safety of those aboard that small vessel. It was obviously a smuggling ship and should have been erased from the galaxy. But someone aboard was important to him, for that the owner of that ship should feel lucky. Even so, the Moff felt the urge to deal with the ship anyways, with his son aboard. Whatever had happened to be taken aboard such a ship had required either a great deal of fighting, or worse weakness. It was unacceptable that Kyle be taken off his ship. Had it been by force or willingly?

This was a disappointment that Tobias was not quite joyous to accept. While he hated weakness in all its forms and had thrown away one of his children because of it, there was only so much he could do about this. [member="Kyle Amedis"] was his only remaining child, as far as he was concerned. The daughter had been worthless to him, weak beyond measure. The Force made one that way, the Sith and Jedi were proof of that. The Force made one lazy and too reliant on a supernatural power. In that weakness came apathy which was the true enemy of First Order. He had no grand goal for the galaxy, no plan to revolutionize the governments that be. No, he was just a man. And as a man he was obliged to try and leave the best he could for the galaxy. Kyle stood as his last legacy, something that would outlive and be an echo of him for when he passed away. He wanted to leave a strong son in the galaxy.

"Direct the tractor beam. If needed shoot the engines out." He would see soon enough what had done this.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind - stay and fight? Pilot the ship for them? Attempt to negotiate? Turn [member="Lady Kay"] and the pilot in? Surrender? This was a nightmare.

”The escape pod. Do it."

Kyle ran back to the main hold and grabbed his helmet and turned to the cockpit, seeing the shadow of the Destroyer looming ahead.

”It'll buy you some time, and if they want Captain Amedis back, they'll take the pod and hopefully focus on that. As I say they'll hunt you, but with a pod floating in space amidst a battle, they shouldn't risk losing one of their own. If I bear any importance to them."

He beckoned Kay with his hand to get the job done - it was the safest and quickest idea he could think about that wouldn't get him executed for treason.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

As [member="Kyle Amedis"] returned, she unbuckled herself from her seat, letting Terrac take care of things there while she helped Kyle get out. It was a good idea to have, but she was saddened by it too. Her brother is here, with her now and she has to let him go.

Kay led him to the escape pod bay, moving quickly, she opened it and looked at him. "Take care, big brother. Just tell them that we captured you, but that you fought us off and escaped. That should save your dignity among them....I hope." Then she did something that would've been impossible to imagine just hours ago, she reached out and hugged him. Whether or not he hugged back, she didn't care. But she had to let him know that she cared.

"Will you two hurry it up back there?! I need someone to fire back!"

Kay let Kyle get into the pod and then hit the button to release it as soon as he was ready and hit the button from the inside. Then as quick as she could, she ran to the guns and took control, not quite having the best of aim, yet out of pure luck, she managed to take out two fighters.

Meanwhile with the orders from [member="Tobias Larr"] , the TIE fighters began herding the Free Lady towards range for the tractor beam. Terrac avoided the barrage of fire hitting the shields. "If we take too many more hits, we won't have the power left to make a big jump! Get them off our tail!"

 

[Tobias Larr]

"An escape pod? Send one of the transports to pick up." Had [member="Kyle Amedis"] made his escape? Or perhaps the occupants had decided that Kyle was too dangerous and had run to get away. The former appeared more likely, the craft was still firing on the TIEs. Certainly his son would not fire on his allies. Then again, he might not realize that there is someone in the ship with him. However, as much as Tobias might have wanted to believe that, he had the gut feeling that his son was aboard the escape pod. He had not gotten to where he was by trusting blindly in his feelings though. Thus, "Have men at the hangar ready for the pod. Medics and soldiers."

He decided that it was time for him too to head to the hangar. This battle was done, unless the ship made an unexpected maneuvers and broke away from the TIEs, or killed them all, then the Moff assumed that they would be caught by the tractor beam. Then he would be able to question the captures and find out what had happened. His son would either be proven capable or in need of more training. If the latter was the case then there would be much anger vented upon the man. Weakness could not be tolerated, in the First Order and especially not in his son. The criminals aboard the smuggling vessel were of hardly any import to this situation except to verify the facts. They would be dealt the hand that the First Order always did to those who decided to take such careers. Another execution would be a good example to his men, above all else crime and treachery would be punished swift and deftly.

The walk to the hangar would take time, hopefully by then the pod would have already been retrieved and the contents extricated. If not then the Moff would have to wait. An abominable concept, that one would sit idly waiting for some other event to occur. Waiting was a byword for apathy and that was an even worse fate. Apathy of course led to the most unsavory and unforgivable of failings, atrophy. In this war against the Republic and its loathe of doing the necessary acts, weakness could not be accepted.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

From a somewhat awkward embrace with [member="Lady Kay"] to being bundled into an escape pod, to being blown back with the g-force of the ejection, to being bumped around on the recovery by the First Order, this was a nightmare of a way back. Kyle pushed himself down into the side of the pod and held on during the process, wondering what to do now or what to say.

Would the hatch be opened and a Knight of Ren be waiting? Or a troupe of troopers with blasters aimed at him? Or a commanding officer? Or a med team? He felt sick, and he hated it. God dammit all. He was fine this morning knowing he had nothing and nobody.

Now he had a sister being hunted down and a father and mother out there somewhere.

With a groan, the pod came to a stop finally. He didn’t want to look out the one viewport. Kyle opened his eyes as the hatch was depressed and pulled open, and the metallic hue of the First Order destroyer once again greeted him as he slowly crouched and stumbled out, raising to stretch himself with his helmet in hand and….drat; he’d need a new E11.

There were soldiers around, a droid, a TIE fighter taking off and a number of stern faced, crisply dressed officers.

Turning, Kyle squinted out into the distance of space, seeing the flicker of laser blasts passing between Kay’s ship and the TIEs. Why hadn’t she hit light speed yet?

”Come on," he muttered to himself, watching intently.

[member="Tobias Larr"]