Sullust: Just Dropped By With Brownies

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer looked over her shoulder and watched the little hole finally closed. Blinking, she shrugged. There shouldn't be anyone else following them, not now anyways. More soldiers showed up and Spencer felt the small hairs on her neck stand up. This wasn't a good situation and she felt as if she should have stayed home and baked the pie she had been planning on baking or some time now. Looking towards Hastings and the flamehrower. Spencer decided on her course of defenses if the man decided to pull the trigger. The force pulled against her tightly in preparation, she didn't want anything to come to conflict, they were just here to pick someone up...she thought. Taking a deep breath she looked at Ria and nodded her head.

Her voice low and sharp she spoke to the cat. "Mittens, get back over here."

There was no need for her to answer anyone, she didn't know what to say and knew her place in these matters. She had nothing and Ashin had everything hopefully everything with a plan.

[member="Doctor Alura Omen"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"] [member="Jade Whisperwind"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Ria Misrani"] [member="Deacon"]

 

[Ria Misrani]

ANNOYING CAT?! FURBALL?! Oh that was it! Ria had had it with these Omega types, not only did she growl but she was gonna back that growl up and added sorry hoomins, but no one insults this tabby but the two of you. The cat's collar glinted a moment and then a force shield was erected, hey Ashin, suggestion on the collar. Add a force push or two to it, I wanna knock these guys around a bit. The tabby had thought about jumping over to Spencer's shoulders but the moment [member="Jade Whisperwind"] opened her mouth that went out the door. Lady's lucky I ain't got opposable thumbs. I'd show you a thing or two! Get me close I'mma scratch her eyes out.

Yeah, I got a few people I could get to pop outta that wormhole buddy, your mom! How can people stand this rock? Its odor is worse than my litter box. Ria wished she was human again just so she could pull the trigger on her guns and show these folks how it's done. Oh and the doctor lady, the cat watched as the woman moved near Spencer. Tabby Ria was just glad Ashin was close to Spencer made the shield thing a lot easier, course now it was only a matter of time before Spencer or Ashin told the cat to can it. Both had a telepathic link to the scrappy feline. I hate that name... The feline bristled and jumped to the blonde force master without question, the small thing jumped from Ash's shoulders and landed on Spence's with ease.

[member="Sarge Potteiger"] | [member="Ashin [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][COLOR=#ffff00][FONT='lucida sans unicode'][SIZE=14px]Varanin"] | [member="Spencer Varanin"]​

 

[RC 212]

[member="Ria Misrani"] [member=Deacon] [member="Ria Misrani"] [member="Spencer Varanin"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Doctor Alura Omen"]

Spencer called her cat. Doc moved away. She felt a force shield erect around the cat and a silent alarm went off in her brain. Hastings and the rest of the squad was hot on it.

She had a bad feeling about this.

Hands still concealed in her robes, she let her saber begin to wriggle it's way up her robes from it's belt to her palm. She had a lot of uneasy vibes from Spencer. If things kicked off she was now unsure of what she would do. Well of course she would back Sarge Either way. After all he was the clear choice, being a ranking member of the Alliance, as well as a Master.

"Eat it kitty."​

It was totally un-jedi like. But whatever. Things were tense. She just hated cats...

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Sarge Potteiger"] [member="Jade Whisperwind"] [member="Doctor Alura Omen"] [member="Ria Misrani"] [member="Spencer Varanin"]

Action through inaction had its merits; the old Jedi principle had saved Ashin's life more than once. As the armed force quadrupled, Ashin pondered the virtues of forbearance versus proactivity.

“He's not coming, is he,” she said evenly. “Well, so be it. Tell him this for me, Sergeant.” She paused. She'd already dangled the mole card as a bargaining chip, and nothing.

“Tell him a story. My payment for Irajah's freedom, offered in good faith, because he let me lean on him when I rolled my ankle in the snow.” The anecdote would mean nothing to anyone but Sarge. It was, however, the first and only time she'd blown her cover identity as Lady Ajira Cardei of Naboo Intelligence. Many things would unravel now, if Sarge decided to look into that.

“Once upon a time there were two sisters. One was a Jedi, one was a Sith. The Sith converted, talked about redemption. Her sister let her skip the strict monitoring timetable and accepted her into the Jedi blindly, even gave her stewardship of an academy despite the grumbling of people like Ryan Korr.

“The Sith-turned-Jedi continued to amass a personal fortune, developed contracts and sponsorships with all the right names, kept her head down, behaved unimpeachably. She ascended to positions of trust and power.

“Then one day she learned of a way to make weapons more valuable and destructive than anything her public allies could offer. The only catch was that her weapons were refined from the leftovers of genocide. She developed the technology in depth, kept its true nature a secret, and marketed it to her unsuspecting allies. She even named the technology after the obscure, ancient project that had started the ball rolling - perhaps as a tribute, perhaps as a taunt. In private, she displayed amusement over the whole affair.

“I know the long game better than most, Sergeant. I would strongly suggest a talk with Jedi Master Taeli Raaf.” Another smile failed to reach Ashin's eyes. “Once you've verified the story, of course. Pass that along to Potteiger, as the cost of Irajah's freedom. And now I think we'll be leaving, unless the girl here would like a lesson in respect."

 

[Doctor Alura Omen]

Alura watched the situation between the jedi ([member="Jade Whisperwind"]) and the cat ([member="Ria Misrani"]) unfold and facepalmed. She took a deep sigh and tapped the jedi on her shoulder.

"Calm down... It is simply a cat. It isn't worth it." Doctor Omen said "Shall we remain keeping our attention to the task at hand? Whatever that may be of course. I know nothing of this woman whom the sergeant is speaking to."

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Spencer Varanin"] | [member="Deacon"] | [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

Oh but she could not deny this. A duel with a Master? Much less Ashin Varanin? Even if the woman cut off her leg it was worth it in her eyes. She was ready. It was more on the principle of honor than anything else.

Her eyes locked with Ashin's.

"Duel me. Non lethal, on my honor, but don't hold back."

She cast off her robes. This was a once in a lifetime event.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Jacen moved through the stone corridors beneath the Jedi Temple with purpose as he read the brief. A quick mental routine tried to rouse his faculties and push the wave of annoyance back. He was slightly irate on account of the situation being dropped on them and also because it was the small hours on this side of Sullust.

He spotted a padawan coming from the opposite direction, recognising him as the young man who was plagued by that bouncy girl who had brought Pyne to their Order.

"Padawan, go wake Master [member="Adele Adonai"] and ask her to help getting the younglings to the bunkers. We don't know if this is a front before someone strikes the temple."

"Yes master Voidstalker."

Jacen hurried upwards towards the armory to strap into something more protective than a master's robes thrown over nightwear.

"Is my son still off-world?" He asked Temple Control over his comm. There was already a hot-headed padawan trying to escalate the situation over at the base and he didn't need another one.

"No, last report still on Tatooine on his sojourn."

"Good, get me a shuttle warm and ready in five."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

Ashin snorted. It might have been a laugh.

"You've really taken 'feel, don't think' to heart, haven't you."

Her focus stayed with the space marines.

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

Tink.

Tink. Tink.

Eyes moved beneath the visor of an environmental suit, hands fixed on the hammer and chisel. He was searching the magma tunnel. Searching not for anything of particular note, just the patterns and etchings of purpose and origin. He understood the methods and birth of such a structure but even when provided the geological map, he had some difficulty in imagining it. It was a wondrous place.

Tink. Tink.

The stone wall unraveled before him right at a protrusion, sending brown airy rocks to the ground in a slump. Setting the chisel down, he leaned forward to inspect the crystal that was now almost entirely exposed. The translucent stone was a beautiful hue of burnt orange with an interior of swirling smoke, given life by wallflower volcanoes and geysers, burping out creation from gaseous expulsion. Leaning down, he picked up the pry bar, painted in chips of fluorescent green to prevent losing sight of it. He steadied the flat end between black rock and crystal and gently wiggled in.

Tink. Tink.

In its own way, these were the fruiting bodies of Sullust. Small polyps, formed from thousands of harsh years and broken free by a gentle hand. Setting the tools back in the frame back pack, he set the crystal in the interior pocket with the rest of the collection and lifted the bag to his back. He caught wind of something slightly awry on the planet, a collection of signatures sitting hazily at the forefront of his mind. It was a low hum, like the rumble of a storm across a vast Sahara, already riddled by persistent deluge. He learned, long ago in the confines of his cell, that sensing much on such a noisy volcanic planet was troublesome. Aggravating may have been the more appropriate word.

Mentally shrugging at what he assumed was nothing, he started to make his way out of the tunnel. Echoing through the chamber, his tools and crystals clattered together, giving him the distinct and routine impression that he might have been a travelling merchant or vendor in the shops of Baron's Hed.

Just another blissful day away from work, off to sale or give away his wares.

 

[Isar Kislo]

Isar had spent more time on Sullust as of late than he would have ordinarily preferred. [member="Aeron Kreelan"], true to her stubborn as feth nature, had taken considerable coaxing and no small amount of outright brute strength to get to the medical facility upon their return from Hoth. She had needed to be kept overnight or anything, but there were certainly some elements of recovery. Their reprieve from the work of safeguarding the defenseless of the galaxy, a thankless, nigh on impossible, but necessary task, had lasted perhaps a day.

Anywhere from ten to twelve hours of his day were spent with Aeron covering a wide range of topics and studies, but that wasn't where the real meet of his development occurred. It was in the hours of self-study, additional sparring, and physical training that Isar found himself most exhausted. The regimen he was used to. However, in the past his training had been for very limited scope purposes and his mind...well...let's just say he used to have a compartmentalized perception of his past life. A mostly inaccurate perception at that.

As a few others apparently had, Isar had taken it upon himself to investigate the entrance of [member="Ashin Varanin"] and her associates. He'd not seen the entrance, but it was quite literally impossible not to feel the arrival. It was as if someone had ripped open the very fabric of the galaxy and stepped through. Around the time Isar arrived, it said tear had just sealed behind them.

He was in time at least to hear the statement made by [member="Jade Whisperwind"]. Isar recognized the woman from the re-opening of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. They'd even had a very intelligent, level-headed conversation. Seemed as though that reality might be past and opening now.

Stepping forward, Isar elevated his voice to be heard, glacier-blue eyes burning with intensity in the direction of the...visitors and Padawan Whisperwind. The Kiffar-Naboo hybrid exhaled steadily, completely unaware that Ashin may well have recognized him be it from similar appearance to his father or some other means of familiarity with Naboo nobility. "Forgive her," Isar started to Ashin in reference to Jade but elected not to utilize any names.

Firmly, Isar placed a hand on Jade's shoulder indicating that she would probably, you know, die if she continued down this path. "She is a very spirited member of the Order." The...not our as Isar, as of yet, had applied for no real official membership. "However, she is acutely aware that any armed conflict here, now, is largely unnecessary."

A pause.

In this instance, Ashin had them at a disadvantage. Sure, the New Jedi Order had numbers on their side...for now. What if this was merely designed to draw them in for a follow-on attack. No. The sooner Ashin departed, the better. Merely Isar's opinion, however.

Silently, Isar communicated a simple thought directly into Jade's mind. You know she just tore through the fething sky, and you think the logical decision is to challenge her to a duel? I'll let you in on a secret. A brief, superfluous so-called stain to your honor won't kill you. Stupidity, however, just might do the trick.

[member="Spencer Varanin"] | [member="Ria Misrani"] | [member="Sarge Potteiger"] | [member="Doctor Alura Omen"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Gabriel Sionoma"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Isar Kislo"]

Jade stepped back and re-doned her cloak. She didn't bat an eye.

To Kislo she shot a simple string of words back. In his mind of course.

​

"I look at it not as honor. It's a learning experience. Whom better to learn saber craft from than the Emperor Slayer?"​

Then she was silent, watching and waiting.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

A message would be sent to [member="Deacon"], a simple scrawl of text, though there was little doubt who it was from.

<Attached is a recording of Ashin's accusations. Look into them immediately.>

Sarge leaned back in his chair, the padded leather conforming nicely now that it was broken in. Ashin didn't know it, because Hastings had played his part well, but Sarge was literally seeing through the Captain's eyes. He had almost forty angles with which to approach this confrontation, the best of which came from the Dreadwalker at the rear. [member="Jade Whisperwind"] would need to be reprimanded, but @Isar Kelso seemed to have that under control.

Folding his hands in his lap, he ran his tongue across his teeth, lips quirking as he studied the situation on the monitors arranged in front of him in his makeshift control center, deep in the bowels of the prison. Like a maestro working his orchestra to perfection, he sent a series of commands down the line.

---

Hastings lowered his flamethrower, looking to the first patrol to arrive. "Lower the weapons." The sound of mass metal shifting echoed through the base, the bolters dropped to a low ready. A few disruptors remained, ephemeral, ghostly plasma still humming through their power coils, but they too had been lowered. Even the walker lowered it's assault cannon towards the ground, ever so slightly, even though the great fist at the end of it's left arm still crackled with energy.

"He gives you his word she will be released once the evidence is corroborated." It was the best she was going to get given the situation. Their relationship with the First Order was abyssmal, given the war, and the fact that Ashin hadn't been shot on arrival was testament only to a long history with the man in charge of this particular prison. "Until that moment, however, she will remain in our care - though in more comfort than she'd have been otherwise."

The Doctor would be transferred to the sort of prison cell one would expect to find on Naboo; luxurious, compared to most cells, complete with her own bathroom and living space, along with a small holo for keeping up with the news. She'd even get to help the medical teams if she so desired.

But she would not have freedom, not yet.

[member="Ashin Varanin"] would know Sarge was as good as his word, but prisoners of war didn't get released overnight. Red tape was a tangled mess, but he could unravel it, given time.

"He now requires you to vacate the planet, as there is still a war being fought. Also, it's Captain, not Sergeant." Hastings raised a brow, but then tipped his head forward. "Count the three, Ashin."

A curious goodbye, but perhaps she'd get it, given some time.

 

[Ashin]

As with most pronouncements of [member="Sarge Potteiger"], Ashin found the farewell elliptical and baffling and somewhat irritating. He delighted in little puzzles like that, always had. She'd chew on it, as usual, and probably realize what he'd meant in five minutes or a week. She nodded once to the armored men; her eyes flicked to [member="Jade Whisperwind"] briefly.

Your instincts were sound, girl. I wouldn't have killed you. I respect audacity. It'll take you far. People fear, admire, and follow audacious actions with a purpose.

She glanced at [member="Doctor Alura Omen"], but found she had nothing to say. To her surprise, she felt a little sad for the Togruta, whose simple desire to connect with a cat in a war zone spoke of a more innocent kind of life. She'd had that life once upon a time, the better part of half a century ago. Beneath the breath mask that kept out Sullust's noxious fumes, Ashin found herself giving a wistful smile.

Are you ready? came another voice, one that only Ashin heard - and maybe [member="Ria Misrani"] and @Spencer Jacobs, via telepathic bond.

Now? Ashin thought. Feth no. But I suppose that's the point, isn't it.

Keep your promise, Varanin. Put on the mask.

Space tore again, a whirlwind of ash scoured the rock, and when the distortion died Ashin, Spencer, and the cat were gone.