Oh No, Not Now..

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle shook his head, wincing a little. It seemed the Moff wasn’t out for his head after all.

”A bump on the back of the head and a lot of answers to find.” How true. ”Apart from that, all good.”

So the ship had made the jump to lightspeed, and the stars around them were nothing but the familiar swirling blue vortex taking them to their destination.

”Have you…any further need for me? I’d just like to get my head checked over, but I still want to be on duty today for the commander.”

Would the Moff be taking control of the units now? Kyle didn’t even know what was going on. As far as he knew, [member="Lady Kay"] was far from here and it would soon blow over.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay kept in the lead as she walked to the outskirts of town. She thought of them hiding out in a cafe or something, but then thought better of it. There was always a chance that they could be discovered and she didn't want any innocents to get hurt or killed. So she headed over to a nearby park. There were plenty of trees that they could use for cover if they needed, and she was quite confident that anyone hunting them would go to their ship and then to the port ticket office. But that all depended on whether or not they thought in the same manner that she did.

Once at the park she sat herself down at one of the small tables, plopping her satchel on top. Kay dug out a few items and started to prepare herself some cold tea, while Terrac took a swig of his whiskey. "How long are we waiting, doll?"

"Not long. Probably a couple of days at the most. If they hadn't come looking for us by then, then they have decided against it."

"You're not going to try to contact Kyle in that time, are you?"

"No. I'm not that silly."

Terrac gave her a look as though he didn't believe her, followed by a look of warning. Kay might not have had much experience with Imperials, but he sure did. This entire situation made him uncomfortable and he just wanted to leave it all behind. Kay was stubborn though and he knew that telling her to leave this area altogether and never come back wouldn't really be quite well received. So he decided to just follow her orders and wait to see how it works out.

[member="Kyle Amedis"] [member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Tobias Larr]

Tobias decided at last that it was time to let [member="Kyle Amedis"] go. There was little more to speak about at this time. Perhaps later but there would be something to speak of, especially when they got hold of the Senator. Then no doubt Kyle would wish to be given time to exact some revenge. It would be interesting to learn what they had been looking for. What intelligence they had hoped to acquire might be equally useful to the Order.

"Thank you Captain. Dismissed." He then continued walking towards the bridge. He looked forward to seeing what the bridge had accomplished during his absence. Initiative was something of a rare trait in the Order, a side effect of fear and overbearing control, thus those that showed it were more valuable for it. He wished to see who had decided to move ahead with the jump.

An hour or so and this should be over. They would reach the planet and hopefully have some idea of where the criminals were.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

With a sharp nod of the head, Kyle stood to attention as the Moff let him leave and swiftly walk away across the hangar. Watching him move away, the trooper let out a relieved breath. That was close. He looked back out the shield-protected hangar opening at the hyperspace trail before them, which was awe inspiring, and took it upon himself to leave.

Walking across, past some TIE fighters bearing the ivory and black wings and crimson cockpit, Kyle kept going until he was back through into the corridors leading away into the ship and took the first free room he could to go in and sit down.

It was a large room, but empty except for trollies and manual lifting arms for cargo. He sat on a lifting arm, a good 7ft tall, and hung his head, helmet in his hands.

”What’s going on. What’s going on.”

He tapped his foot gently, watching it on the silver floor as he thought about what was going to happen next. Maybe all he needed was rest, something to eat and some tablets to make it all go away, and then tomorrow he would forget about the botched attempt to detain [member="Lady Kay"] – maybe it was all a big trick and he fell for it.

That was best. Ignore it, because it was certainly all over now and he’d probably never see her again. Focus.

Focus.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

It wasn't until they were finished with their drinks that they heard ships arriving from above. The sound seemed to almost be coming from all directions. Both Kay and Terrac looked to the skies and saw the Imperial vessels flying towards the port. That would more than likely be their first stop. Her first instinct was to flee into the trees, but then thought better of it. She had a good little plan in place. They needed only to wait the First Order out. Besides, running would only grab attention.

Her eyes moved among the other people in the park. Everyone seemed to be acting normal as the ships flew by. Perhaps they are used to vessels flying in, no matter what government or military they belonged to. Neither Kay nor Terrac thought of spies hiding amongst them. Their positions were relayed as soon as contact was made with the Imperial troops.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, doll." Terrac knew that they had every reason to be nervous.

[member="Kyle Amedis"] [member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Tobias Larr]

On the bridge, Tobias was proud to learn that the team had already sent fighters and a landing craft to the surface. Information had been sent, thus far the Senator had not gone to her intended departure ship, the agent on the ground suspected that she would not, however he was uncertain so he was keeping an eye on them. It was a difficult task since the agent had to remain more anonymous than the informant before him, while collecting an about equal amount of information. But he was professionally trained for this sort of work and he had little doubt that he could accomplish.

The Moff was still uncertain and wanted to know what the Senator had wanted. He still believed that it was somehow connected to him, it just seemed off that way. There was something about capturing his son specifically, it was a fifty-fifty shot that his son had been taken rather than the other soldier. Was the intel that the Senator had tried to get hold of related to his son? The Moff believed there was a correlation and had not gotten to where he was by not occasionally trusting his first thought. He didn't want his son on the field so soon though, he would need time to calm himself probably. Soon enough he would get his revenge on the Senator and whatever smuggler she had hired.

He sent orders for all men still aboard the vessel to go to battle stations. It was, if nothing else, a chance to exercise the standard drill in an uncertain environment. They might actually fight and they might not, when a Moff told them to get to their stations it was always a question.

[member="Lady Kay"] [member="Kyle Amedis"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle had may his way from storage now heading to the armoury to acquire and sign for a new E11 when the call came out over the tannoy. The Wolves and ground troopers were being assembled to head planet side already.

Tilting his head back and exhaling, he literally had no choice to get involved in this. There was nothing he could as it seemed they had tracked down their target, which meant [member="Lady Kay"] was in danger.

Wasting no time in demanding the E11 quickly and signing it to the White Wolves, Kyle donned his trooper helmet which made him unidentifiable; back to the faceless Stormtrooper unit he served. Now he was ready to fight again, and he worked his way back to the hangar.

Troopers were already amassing, jogging through in their units to the transports. He headed to the closest one bearing the White Wolves insignia, and scanned around for the Moff, who didn’t seem be present now.

Hopping on with the other soldiers, he turned and held onto the side of the hold where they would remain until the transport closed up and they left. The next time they’d act would be when the loading door dropped, and it could be either in a peaceful clearing or the thick of a fire fight.

Kyle never knew which, even with his years of experience.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

More Imperial vessels were arriving, with TIE Fighters as escorts. This was not looking good at all. Kay's own gut feelings on the situation were starting to match that of Terrac's.

She started packing up her things into her satchel, her eyes on where the ships had landed. "Okay, Captain. It's time to head out for a bit."

"'Bout time you came to your senses."

She gave him a knowing smirk and then shouldered her satchel before turning and heading towards the trees. Just then one of the spies ran over their way, frantic and in an urgent panic. "Hey! Help me! Have you seen my daughter?! She's only five. She was picking flowers and I looked up at the ships. Next second she was gone! Can you help me find her? Her name is Nora. I'm afraid that she might have gotten lost in the forest."

A lost daughter? That gave her pause. Kay looked to the man and nodded. "We're headed for a hike anyways. She shouldn't of gotten far."

Terrac gave her a look of warning and pushed Kay towards the trees. "Yeah. If we see her, we'll send her your way. My daughter is late for her wedding." It was a boldface lie that he hoped would be enough to save their necks.

With both of their backs towards them, the spy took out his blaster from his back and fired two stun bolts into Terrac, dropping the old man into an unconscious heap on the ground. Kay quickly turned around when she heard the shots fired. The spy aimed the blaster not at her, but at Terrac's head. "Don't move, Senator, or he dies." Once again Terrac was being used against her. This was why she never sought another potential husband. She feared that their lives would be put into too much danger. She clenched her jaw and remained still while the spy spoke into his comm. "Target acquired at the park. Situation is still volatile. Extra precautions are needed with this one."

[member="Kyle Amedis"] [member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Tobias Larr]

Tobias ordered the White Wolves to be sent to the agent's location. Looks like [member="Kyle Amedis"] would get his chance sooner than the Moff had anticipated. This would not be too interesting, this would all be normal now. Procedure would probably be followed and so there would be little beyond an arrest and then a brief interrogation. The Moff looked forward to seeing this Senator and asking her a few questions. Then having her dealt with as befit the situation.

He would of course have to inform his superiors after he had detained the ex-Senator and gone through a quick interrogation. They would probably want to do something with her, whatever it was it would likely be beyond Tobias' reach for a time. He waited for an update from his agent and the Wolves.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle was quiet, as were the detachment of Wolves, on the journey down. It was never a big “oo-rah” moment going into unknown territory, because they’d seen it all before. Allies fell, and new recruits took their place. Standing in the midst of 12 white Stormtroopers it was impossible to tell who was who, bar maybe one different piece of apparel of a commander, but as there were none and Kyle was in charge, he was one of the faceless troops.

When the landing lights came on inside the transport, that was the call to prepare for debarking; their knees gently buckled as they touched down and in seconds the ramp fell outwards and they moved in steady unison – thankfully not into a battlefield but a forest clearing.

Operating on locations provided by the commanding officer on the bridge of the Star Destroyer, Kyle led the men and women of the Wolves through to their agent. Ships could be heard in the distance, and noise up head, which means they were near a settlement.

Soon, voices and exclamation.

”Move forward, spread out.” Kyle commanded, letting the troops fan out.

Moving forward with a number of troops beside him, they emerged through the clearing to a pocket of trees where his skin crawled – yet again, [member="Lady Kay"] was at gunpoint, her pilot out on the floor, was he dead?

Kyle looked from Terrac to Kay, and then the agent, and then the other troops emerging on the right. He pointed to Terrac.

”Get him on board.”

Without hesitating, he moved directly for Kay and, seeing her solid stance and posture, took her arm and quickly identified himself to the agent, but more for her sake.

”Captain Amedis, White Wolves detachment. I’m taking her to the command ship.”

Whatever the agent did was up to him – he had orders, and now had his sister in the grip of the First Order which was a situation he didn’t see a good way out of. He squeezed her arm gently under the black glove of his free hand, E11 in the other.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Terrac would have told her to just forget about him and run. But what was to stop the agent from shooting her? The sight of the troopers approaching didn't give her much joy either. Kay clenched her jaw as Terrac was lifted and almost dragged away. The stun bolts did their job at keeping him knocked out. As [member="Kyle Amedis"] approached and identified himself, she narrowed her eyes at him, though her anger was purely fake. "I have done nothing wrong. You are making a big mistake."

The agent just ignored her and spoke to the Captain. "I expect a bonus for this. Another ten thousand credits." Whether he got the money or not was enough to let him know how long he would contract himself out to them. The agent knew better than to argue with them. But that didn't mean that he couldn't request more money.

Kay felt the reassuring squeeze of her arm and let herself be taken away. Maybe Kyle had a plan? She wasn't sure. But it was obvious that her first one had failed. She whispered to him while they walked, not at all sure if he could hear what she said, but she just had to put it out there. "I'm sorry for getting you into this mess. I really am. But I'm really glad that you're here."

The First Order ships were just ahead of them. Kay tried to push away her feelings of dread, while working on different scenarios to regain their freedom. Perhaps if the First Order didn't see her as a threat, they would just let her go. Only time would tell.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Tobias Larr]

Tobias caught the words of the agent through the cameras on one of the soldiers, yes the agent would receive just compensation for this act. Now he could find out what the Senator had been after. Once he was certain that she had not targeted him for whatever reason he could turn her over to Intelligence, who would probably love a chance at this Senator who knew at least some confidential information they could make use of.

He ordered a message sent to the captain, "Tell our agent that he will be paid in a few hours. Is this Senator Kay?" The Moff already had verification that it was almost definitely the Senator, but he wanted confirmation from [member="Kyle Amedis"]. If something were wrong he wanted to know immediately, this was his son, his legacy after all. He had the file on Senator Kay brought for him to view, he wanted to know more about his enemy now that he had her in his grasp. There was something strangely familiar about her appearance, but he couldn't place it yet.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kyle stopped, his head turning to the agent as the message came through his helmet comlink. First, he pointed to their spy.

”You will be paid soon, you have the word of the First Order.”

Then he looked away.

”It is.”

He didn’t want to admit it, but Kyle wasn’t stupid. The commanders would have image files and other information, so there was no point in lying and warrant a treason charge. Still holding onto his sister, Kyle raised his left arm for the com.

”Holding Kay is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Free Colonies and the Republic.”

What did he expect? They would let her go with a warning? A slapped wrist? His faceless helmet turned to Kay, as if she would see he was hoping this would work out for her. For the both of them. Right now, he was on a knife edge.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked to [member="Kyle Amedis"] as he spoke. And then he looked at her. What was he thinking? Was he looking at her for hope? Or for a plan? There was little that they could do at the moment. It wasn't as though they could out run a Destroyer. The Free Colonies didn't have a large enough force to fight the First Order, and Republic space was too far away. They would need to refuel before the Destroyer did and only end up getting caught again.

She quickly grabbed onto Kyle's wrist and spoke into his comm to [member="Tobias Larr"] . "If I get treated well and with respect, then there won't be a problem. I have done nothing wrong." Well outside of assaulting Kyle and kidnapping him, but that was only to escape their unlawful custody the first time. Who knew what they would have to do this time.

 

[Tobias Larr]

The confirmation pleased Tobias, now that he knew without a doubt that this was the person that had kidnapped his son. Her assurance that she had done nothing wrong was pushed to the side, it was a lie. Even if she had not done anything wrong, which she had, her release would have been followed by trouble from the Republic which would no doubt go to the aid of one of its ex-Senators. She had been forced to leave the Senate, but that did not mean that the Republic would simply leave her should this event get out to the public.

Tobias waited until the team was back aboard the transport before speaking over the comms, which was put through speakers on the ship for everyone onboard to hear. "Unfortunately, there is little in the way of hospitality for one who attacked the Captain here. This is the same man who you took prisoner, I hope you realize that." The Moff spoke out of ignorance of the fact that they knew each other. He assumed, incorrectly, that to the Senator one stormtrooper was impossible to tell from another, something that a few people outside of the First Order had noted on occasion.

[member="Lady Kay"] [member="Kyle Amedis"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

On the transport with a pocket of troopers, the rest planet side, this was uncomfortably familiar for Kyle and no doubt [member="Lady Kay"] – back to the Destroyer and who knew what. Kyle rose his head a little at the sound of the Moff coming through like some overseeing God.

He looked down at Kay and, though she couldn’t see, he closed his eyes and took a breath. The escalation was off the charts. No doubt she would be brought before the Moff, and Kyle also, or he would be dismissed to give them time alone.

He was right, however, about how the troopers looked the same, once off and if Kyle did nothing, she would not know him from the next First Order solider man-handling her away.

Kyle raised his arm again to speak.

”Prisoner incoming. Awaiting orders.”

He tried to hide the overall lack of enthusiasm for the situation in his solemn voice.

[member="Tobias Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

There wasn't much that she could do. For the moment. Kay heard the words of the Moff and was already starting to feel her anxiety grow. There was good reason that the Empire of old was feared. They were strict and heavy handed, yet in a different way than the Sith. There might be a way that she could talk her way out of this, but she wasn't sure just yet. She had to see this through.

Kay glanced up at [member="Kyle Amedis"] as he spoke and then looked about for Terrac. It was hard to tell where he was as everyone was so tightly situated in the transport. Not to mention the shuttle's lights cast plenty of shadows.

She gripped the strap of her satchel. It hadn't been removed from her yet. Perhaps if she showed [member="Tobias Larr"] , who for the moment was just a voice to her, that she could actually be trusted, he would let her go after the interrogation. She would, of course, have to pay for damages and the like, but that wasn't much of a problem, unless they asked for more than she had. There were just too many unknowns at the moment filled with endless possibilities.

"I'll get through this. I've gone through worse..."

 

[Tobias Larr]

"Very good Captain, once possible turn this woman over to the prison guards and follow standard post-mission procedures." Tobias planned on first seeing to it that [member="Kyle Amedis"] followed protocol. He doubted that the Captain would fail to obey orders and procedures, but it was important to keep drilling. If one did not test something then it might grow complacent and fail to accomplish what it had to. In the case of people, if the practice ever stopped it could be possible for them to fail to meet the requirements of their job.

The Moff turned his attention to sending commands aboard the Destroyer to prepare for the arrival of their newest guest and her unconscious friend. The smuggler would be interrogated in the standard Order way, whereas the Senator would need to be handled more delicately. He looked forward to meeting this woman face to face. He wanted to find out what she knew of his son, if anything of the connection between the two of them.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

And then, there they were.

Back in the hangar of the Destroyer that they had been hours before. However, things had changed an awful lot since the first time [member="Lady Kay"] and Captain Amedis had been together.

The order came through from [member="Tobias Larr"] came through, half the troopers debarked and stood their ground, a couple took the unconscious pilot and Kyle and another stood with Kay, to lead her to the cells in the bowels of the Destroyer.

They walked in silence, the way they had been before, and Kyle kept hold of his sister as they strode down the dimly lit corridors.

”Senator Kay of the Free Colonies,” he spoke on arrival – this time with what seemed to be increased security guards. ”Inform the Moff at once.”

He would wait until he arrived, for Kay’s sake away from the hands of the First Order. He was the Captain so he was in charge currently.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Terrac was still knocked out. Kay knew that he was not going to enjoy being woken up. She wondered who would be questioning him. Would it be Kyle? Or someone else? Even then, there wouldn't be a lot that they could gleam from the old man outside of his shady past. All pilots for hire had them.

Kay studied their walk, counting the doors that they passed and the corridors. Everyone remained silent, so that made it easier. She knew that had they been alone, [member="Kyle Amedis"] and her would have talked and planned. But there was one other with them, and soon to be more.

She frowned. As they arrived at the cell block, one of the guards took her satchel, almost ripping it off. Her first thought was to say something snarky, but then she thought better of it. Kyle had struck her before for such behaviour and she was outnumbered here. Not to mention that doing so might give them reason to call up one of the Knights of Ren. Yet now a Moff was coming. He could be far worse.

Kay clenched her jaw and leaned into her brother a little. Would he be asked to leave for a debriefing? It was hard to say. Both had their own consequences. This certainly wasn't going to be a friendly chat over tea.

[member="Tobias Larr"]