Private The Long Road

[Laira Darkhold]

<There are still some on that world who would welcome liberation, who deserve it. And future generations who will need it, though I am not sure I would be strong enough to fight against the Dominion. Their willingness to sacrifice innocents is not something I wish to endure.> Suicide by Jedi was not what Saeza wanted to become, furthermore she knew that despite Laira having largely recovered from the ordeal at Purity, the redhead was still a very different person than she had been. Faljinn having remained with them for as long as he had was proof that she still harbored some responsibility for the massacre of the younglings.

<Agreed.> Saeza communicated in regards to Tephrike. <Yes and no. I am sure it is just nightmare hallucinations, but I saw something else. A mask I have not seen before, at least not to my recollection.> While Saeza didn’t have perfect recall, she had been praised by her masters for her ability to learn and remember lessons with great accuracy. It was possible she had glimpsed the object in her peripheral vision before, but why it had shown up during her nightmare made little sense to the Vong Jedi.

The pair arrived at the shuttle, tired and exhausted. Saeza wanted to continue their meld, but it would be difficult if she was to go into her hibernation trance to rapidly recover. If he wished to speak, she could remain aware enough to hear him but not respond unless Nuroch wished to join her in her meditations. She spoke aloud, “Would you like for me to take you with me when I transcend my consciousness? I am trained, I can take others.”

~

Laira still had Jalor’s identification papers on her person, stuffed safely in a hidden pocket of her armor, free from detection by sensors. Fashionable, sleek, and useful.

“Are any of you strapping lads in need of some healing?” Laira asked playfully, trying to draw attention away from the wounded sniper with a flashy, young redhead that could provide some Force Healing, albeit very little. Not the magic they might imagine it to be if they had not dealt with many Force Users. The number of those who could use healing effects like Shikoba and Saeza were few, usually uniquely gifted individuals. Shikoba was weird to Laira, but she could appreciate it. Saeza was weird after all, giving her own life-essence away to rapidly heal and sustain her allies when needed.

Most of the Stormtroopers were interested in spending more time talking to the redhead and qadiri girl in the floor of the tower, but the NCO was having none of it. A veteran, the woman barked further orders, dismissing her teams of troopers up the stairs to secure the building and ensure the mercenaries didn’t miss anything or anyone.

Still, the four troopers that stayed on the ground floor did migrate towards them, “Need any help?”

“Yes, I could use a medikit! I had to let my team-mates use mine so I’m fresh out." Laira glanced down at Zhaleh, extending a hand to help her off the floor. "I'd ask if you could carry her, but she's feisty about touching. If I didn't have to crutch for her, I'd let you carry me though."

"Oh, and someone could give me Lieutenant Braxton, FOSB comlink info so my friend and I could reach out to him. He was very helpful when the fighting started.” Covering for the young man some, and trying to find an easy way to contact him so they could get a background check run on their man before they commenced interrogating the sniper. It would help to know as much about him as possible, plus Braxton might be open to giving them some other information.

~

Leo frowned, and began working through the decryptor module he had installed on his wristlink. “Okay, and that is line...” he adjusted the numbers and input data on the module, “Act and scene. Hmm, maybe he translated it back into basic from Ssi-ruuk. Buuut, could be through huttese or Twi’leki. It'll take me a long time to run decryption using all three languages. Maybe six or seven hours unless we can get a super computer.” The man sat looking at the script and his wristlink, glancing back and forth between them.

“What is that symbol?” He pointed, having never seen any like it, but it was dead center on the page.

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

"I do not need or desire carrying," Zhaleh said stiffly. Her desire to playact and placate the Firsties had well-defined, ironclad limits. "Yes...that would be helpful. It should help us coordinate," she added supportively after Laira/Jaine brought up their 'friend' Lieutenant Braxton of the FOSB. The girl almost felt a bit bad about deceiving him. He's one of them, she reminded herself. The Order is his clan. He will defend, like you would yours. Her clan were her people back home and, increasingly, the war band she had joined in the stars.

Regardless, one of the troopers passed on a medkit and the contact info. "Braxton, huh? Friend of mine. Decent fellow - unlike many whiteshirts." He said the last bit under his breath. "When this is over, maybe I can buy y'all a drink. For avenging my buddies."
"Trooper," the Sergeant interjected sharply.
"Duty calls. On your way," he said hastily, beckoning the pair to make themselves scarce. Meanwhile, the contingent of Stormtroopers was busy securing the tower and scouring it for anything the rebels might have left behind.

With help from Laira, Zhaleh made her way out of the building. She was still unsteady on her legs, but at least not bleeding all over anymore. Outside, 'calm' had returned. Diona, Shikoba and their new 'friend' followed. Stormtroopers could be seen dragging people out of their homes. Some were released after they had been scanned and their homes had been searched, but a few were pulled into groundcars. Fires were still being put out. Civilians huddled in their homes, waiting for the storm to pass.

xxx

Sometimes a good memory could be a curse. There were things one would rather forget. Such as chestbusters - or being tortured in a propaganda gulag and being responsible for the death of a loved one. In any event, the pair had reached the shuttle. "I'd...like that," he responded to her. "Wait a moment. I'll check and see everything's in order."

Immediately, Nuroch slipped into professional mood when he entered the craft, taking stock of their supplies to make sure nothing had been stolen. Satisfied that nothing had been taken away and that the shuttle had - as far as he could establish with his limited skill - not been wired with a bomb, he rejoined Saeza.

xxx

And they will look to you to to stand there like a stone wall, even if you feel you're just winging it. That was what Vagt had told her before the squad embarked on its first mission. She had been a big ball of nerves and anxiety then, though she had done her best to hide it. Now it all seemed comparatively simply. Infiltrate a First Order asteroid base, kill the bad guys, recover technical data and rescue slaves. Now things were...complicated. When all else failed, when doubt assailed them, soldiers looked to their leader to be a rock.

Someone had to display leadership and show that she knew what she was doing. If she did not succeed in that, Elpsis was not doing her job. And then more people died - people on her team. I don't have the luxury of doubt, she thought. The people she had killed today would be a stain on her conscience. The same applied to the civilians who had been massacred or caught in the crossfire. The truth was that Elpsis felt quite a lot. Each death reverberated through the Force. Each left a psychic howl of agony. Red Lady, guide their souls through the void into the Lifeweb's embrace. But she had to numb herself - because her personal feelings were irrelevant.

Celaena, Reverence, Tahoka and Sienn had been sent out in two teams to patrol the nearby blocks - more for show than any real desire to do the Firsties' work. Now they had come back. Elpsis breathed a sigh of relief that they seemed unhurt. "Report?" She beckoned them closer to the compound where Vagt and Leo were busy deciphering gibberish.
"No hostile contact. Looks like the rebels retreated in good order, ma'am," Tahoka spoke first. "Firsties have been kicking down doors. Dragging civilians from their homes." Her tone betrayed discomfort.

Elpsis nodded wordlessly and turned to Reverence. "Similar on my end. Looks like the rebels wired a building with explosives. Some bucketheads got blown up. Firsties cordoned off the area. Many arrests."
"Ok, you did enough for today. Get some rest. I want two of you standing watch at all times. Rotate every two hours. Nyssa's handling that front, so answer to her."
"How's that Vong girl - Saeza - doing?" Reverence asked.
"Recovering. She'll be back on her feet."
"Nice girl," Celaena remarked. "Needs to value herself more."
Sienn cleared her throat. "Ma'am, with all respect, I..."
"Speak, Private."
"How long can we play this game?"
"If you ask me, we were pretty successful today," Celaena opined. "The Imperials are down a tank and lost a bunch of bodies. Most rebels got out."
"Would you be saying the same if they'd been killing Eldorai?" Sienn asked bluntly.

Elpsis raised her hand to silence any escalation. "Cut it. Bad things happen. We continue with the plan for as long as needed. No more, no less."
"I don't like this, but I trust you, ma'am," Tahoka said after a moment.
Elpsis considered just dismissing them, but then stepped forward. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "We have a potential lead. It may give us an edge. Understood? Now get going."


xxx

"I think it's..." Vagt scratched the fur covering his chin while he studied the symbol, "Thakwaese? Each Thakwaash has different personalities they keep shifting from. This symbol shows that. Our friend really likes to rub it in. Back in the day, the Firsties invaded Thakwaa and herded the natives in camps. Nasty business."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira smiled, helping Zhaleh up and out of the building, nodding to the troopers who had spoken and assisted them with acknowledgement and thanks. Laira put on a sweet tone, “I’d love to sweetie, hopefully it works out and there is enough time before we have to leave.” The redhead had no plans to convert more stormtroopers through kindness, it was largely a faulty dream some freedom fighters had. That if they were nice enough, they could convince their enemy to see them as friends, but Laira had seen firsthand how Stormtroopers and Sith Troopers were willing to turn on their neighbors. There were few and far between who would break through the layers of indoctrination, like Leo and his former squadmates, and even then some of the squad had still been Imperials.

“See, that wasn’t so bad.” She whispered into the Qadiri’s ear, helping her along as they walked the long street between them and where the rest of the Firemane forces were waiting. The groundcars were being stuffed with the occasional suspect, civilians huddled and waiting for fires to be put out, or waiting to be cleared by teams of troopers. More stained armor, indicating its age and use, could be seen. Laira supposed that they First Order had a plethora of willing recruits, but lacked sufficient resources to replace gear or produce enough of it in the area.

Such a thing would make crippling them easier if it were true.

“When we get back, we butter Braxton up a little and get the background on our buddy. Maybe get him to buy us a meal, what would you like?” Laira asked quietly, grinning to herself. She knew what she wanted to eat. Nice corn flatbread wraps with poultry, greens, spicy cheese, and pepper ranch dressing, but she was willing to alter her request to fit with the cuisine Zhaleh wanted. “He’ll probably be a bit worried. Boys get all fretty sometimes. Just gotta let em know we’re big girls who can handle ourselves.” And give him some hope that his efforts wouldn’t be for not.

~

Saeza waited patiently, sitting cross legged in an area out of the way. In the hibernation she could remain relatively aware of their surroundings but not well and so she hoped to find a place for them to sit that would not intrude upon their comrades.

When Nuroch returned to her, she held out her hands for him to place his in her palms. “It will feel odd.” She paused for a moment as if thinking about the words to use to describe the sensation. “Like you are floating and outside yourself. You should be able to perceive things around us, but because I am pulling you with me, you will perceive them as though you were me. In this state, we would be able to survive around one week.” Being an aquatic species, Nuroch would likely need water before she would, however they wouldn’t be sitting for such an extended period of time. Just a few hours to collect themselves and recover, send their bodies into overdrive to heal and regain their spent focus and stamina.

“We will need a moment to deepen our connection, open to each other. And then, you will feel a pull.” Saeza closed her gold eyes, and smiled. “You must give into it, and for a moment we will feel as one before we acclimate to each other in the trance.” The exercise required trust, any secrets or hatred would for a short moment be completely open to one another if the other sought to delve into the memories and mind.

~

“Thakwaese?” Leo grunted, and tapped on his wristlink. “We got a couple of options, we can use this verse in Thakwaese and see how it works as a key for the encryption, it’ll take my setup about two hours for that. Maybe three.” The Death Trooper looked up from the device to scan the rest of the Firemane forces, checking on how they were doing.

“Or we can start running it through all five languages. It might take ten hours between the two of us, but we can start eliminating options after an hour or so. Work it down until we get the right one.” On the chance that the thakwaese was a distraction to fuddle with any potential slicers trying to hack the man’s code. In all honesty, Leo wasn’t sure he would have managed it on his own, and knew it was too complex for a decryption module. It would have taken the average being a lot of time looking up symbols of rarely used xenos languages and being lucky to recognize the patterns. Hours, maybe days of logging each symbol with some of them appearing to be complete nonsense.

“Which do you want to try?”

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

Shikoba looked upon the scenery of devastation, the soldiers and civilians being led away. "Twin brothers, locked together in hateful embrace, wrought this," she spoke softly.
Gendric snorted. "They wouldn't let us go. Where's the shuttle?" He kept his voice low. Behind the helmet's faceplate, he looked uneasy at the First Order patrols that were busy mopping up after the attack. None of them were going for the trio, but he clearly could not shake off the feeling that they were watching and ready to pounce.
"In the forest," Diona said tersely as they made their way past debris. Her expression was stoic amidst the carnage. She had seen this - and far worse - many times.
"You're sure the Firsties don't have eyes on it?"
"Would you rather take your chances with them right here?" the former Jedi countered.
"Who the hell are you lot?" he wondered aloud. He looked towards Shikoba. "And what kind of healer are you? Some Eldorai witch?"
"Nay, I am not one of Kaeshana's children who fell to your lightgun before you turned your coat. I am knight of sorts, human. A champion of life."
Diona stated icily. "We're the ones keeping you alive. Now shut up." Bit by bit, they left the communications tower, the rubble, the blaster-scorched walls and the stinking, blood-soaked corpses behind them.

Meanwhile, Laira and Zhaleh had extracted themselves from the friendly neighbourhood Stormtroopers. Truth be told, the thought of trying to 'turn' a Stormtrooper did not occur to the young Qadiri. Being new to the greater galaxy, she had no attachment to them. Her first encounter with the Firsties had not made her inclined to be too sympathetic. And she did not see herself as a freedom fighter or missionary who was supposed to convince these men and women to turn away from their evil path. They were enemy warriors who would try to kill the members of their war band the moment they knew their true identity, and that was that.

Sometimes her tribe had taken in or aided Xioquo fugitives, who were trying to escape a similarly heinous regime. But these 'Dark Ones' had left of their own volition. Her people did not spare Xioquo raiders. She furrowed her brow slightly when Laira talked about the young secret police officer they had met at the cantina.

"Whatever the local specialities are would be nice. But why would he fret? We are women, he is a male," she stated. Typical gender relations were somewhat inverted among the Qadiri, though they were more egalitarian than in say Hapan or Eldorai society. "We should inform the Captain of our intent." The young ice mage seemed fated to play the straight woman to Laira's more enthusiastic persona.

xxx

The Nautolan sat down on the floor and took the proferred hand. "Alright, I do know how to centre myself, clear my mind and all that," he said. The Windian Jedi Order was still a Jedi Order, albeit a heavily debased, twisted and tyrannical one. So meditation practice was part of its curriculum, though a lot of it was about a Jedi cleansing their mind of 'bad thoughts'. By contrast, the Order of Fire was not really into meditation. "So I know the basics." He took a breath. "I didn't get the full treatment in the camp. The Lt. did. But you may see things that are," he paused, as if fishing for a word before settling on a transparent euphemism, "unpleasant."

xxx

They were at a crossroads of sorts. Vagt considered this question for a moment. "I'd prefer the second to be thorough, but I don't think we've got the time," he said honestly. "I don't think the Firsties will get around to really looking into what happened at our man's place. Not with everything going on. But they'll be working around the clock to apply the thumb-screws to their prisoners until one breaks and they find out where the rebels are hiding."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

“I’m not sure what the locals like around here,” Laira said, privately hoping the First Order thoroughly enjoyed Atrisian-style sushi and potstickers. “Aye, we’ll go to the group and see what’s up before planning a side trip. I wanna check on them anyway.” The redhead had lost the connection with Saeza and Leo earlier in the melee, which usually meant Saeza was pulling away so as not to let anything bleed into their meld, or because she was unable to maintain it any longer. Considering the small bolstering Laira had received, it was likely the later and though she had not felt their deaths, she wanted to make sure they were healthy nonetheless.

“Human boys tend to be protective of girls, particularly girls they want to sleep with. I’m not the best empath, but I’m pretty sure that’s the vibe I got from him.” Probably a sensation Laira’s empathic abilities had felt more than once. “It’s weird, but sweet sometimes when they get all protective, so long as it doesn’t cross any boundaries of course.” Laira didn’t mind the protectiveness on occasion, she even encouraged it somewhat in Leo, however she made it known that she was a Jedi and more than capable of protecting herself and others on her own.

Her silver eyes set upon the building where the Firemane forces were arrayed, looming before them with only a little further to go. Zhaleh probably wanted some more painkillers, and maybe a few minutes to relax and catch her breath and get off her injured leg anyway.

~

“Don’t worry Nuroch. I will not be seeking any secrets from you,” Saeza smiled warmly with his hands in her own, taking a deep breath and drawing upon the Force. She numbed herself to sensation outside the Force, letting it flow into her from the universe and through her body. The sensation, like waves lapping upon a sandy beach travelled from her and through her hands into Nuroch, slowly with each passing heartbeat as her bodily functions slowed, tugging on his consciousness. <Give in.> She whispered through the Force, calling to him with a calm, alluring radiance deep within herself.

~

“Aight,” Leo grunted and tapped a few buttons on his wristlink. He didn’t like not being thorough, but understood the need for haste in this situation. The First Order wasn’t known for being gentle with captives, and with the few they had, they would be setting about trying to break them as quickly as possible with chemical torture, and depending on the FOSB agents in charge, the old fashion kind as well.

“I’ve got it processing, but it’s going to take it a while. We might as well do something else rather than sit around waiting on the computer to finish up.”

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

Zhaleh tried to wrap her head around the gender politics that prevailed among humans. Firemane was pretty much a matriarchy, so she had not really been exposed to this before. "That is very strange. At home, we are supposed to protect the boys. Not that ours are weak. We do not allow them to grow into weak, simpering things who only give a lady their seed and look after the young like the Eldorai do. With enough effort, they can become strong like us...but they are males. My clan has had many Sheikhas, but only a few Sheikhs." Qadiri females were - on average - stronger and broader than males, inverting the situation that was typical among humans. Of course, effort and training could even things out. For their progress level, Qadiri were still quite egalitarian, certainly more than humans at the same level.

Regardless, the duo reached the Firemane lines. Celaena was one of those standing guard, rifle in hand and with a blade at her side. With her sensitive elf ears, she heard them from afar. "Ashira!" she called out. That seemed to be a way for the two to identify each other.
"Kashara!"
"Had your adventure, little sister?"
"I am not smaller than you. We completed our mission."
"You and the Yedi or you? You are injured, she is not." Celaena spoke in Eldarai. How rude.
"We worked as a team," Zhaleh replied firmly in Basic. "Where's the Captain?"
Wordlessly, Celaena pointed them into the direction of where Elpsis was. "Your friend," she glanced at Laira, "the other Yedi - she tired herself out. She's at the shuttle with squid." This time she spoke Basic rather than Eldarai.

The two would find Elpsis a bit further in what constituted the supposed mercenaries' improvised command post. The room - or what was left of it after all the carnage - was next to where Vagt and Leo were trying to decipher a theatre play. She seemed to talking with Nyssa about something, but broke off her chat when the two entered. Rhea stood sentinel - a silent, watchful guardian.

Elpsis had taken her helmet off, exposing her brutally scarred face framed by tousled, somewhat sweaty red hair, and put it on the dust-filled table. However, she still wore her armour. "Sitrep? Diona said you got...our friend."
"You look like crap, frost," Nyssa observed.

xxx

Vagt nodded curtly. "Agreed." There was that informant who had supposedly ratted out Firemane's agent he still wanted to check up on, though in the end that was Elpsis' call to make. He would make a strong recommendation though. "Seems like your Jedi friend's back," he observed, having noted the commotion outside. Unlike some people in the group, he said 'Jedi' in a neutral fashion without any judgement attached to it one way or another. "You might as well check up on her and we can report to the Lt."

xxx

Nuroch made no comment, but smiled a bit sheepishly. He took a breath and closed his eyes. Slowly, he tried to find that calm spot within the embrace of the Force - far away from war-torn cities, brainwashing camps and the ghosts of the past. It was by no mean an easy road to find. He heard her words resonate in his mind. The Nautolan imagined the streams of a river, flowing ever onward.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

“Yeah, humans are a bit weird. We’ve got all types mixed in spread throughout the universe, you know?” Laira asked with a bit of a grin plastered across her face. Of course, there were variances within human society, some women preferred their weakling males, some partners found equality, some mixed in. Laira was complicated, to say the least.

They arrived at the small little forward operating camp the Firemane Forces had set up and took stock of the situation. No one looked dead, and with the quick update on the missing faces, Laira nodded, internally somewhat relieved to know everyone’s status for certain. “She’s a good healer, but it takes a lot out of a person.” Laira murmured in response to Saeza’s condition. Saeza was more powerful in the Force than she, but even still it was not an infinite well and healing a body was more taxing than most other Force techniques.

“We got the sniper, rescued our team mate that was injured in the process.” The redhead reported, dusting herself off a little. “Zhaleh and I made a friend, Lieutenant Braxton. He was a little drunk before all the fighting but we left him somewhere out of the way of it all, thinking of giving him a call and seeing what he can tell me about the sniper.” Just in case there were prying eyes or ears, Laira remained in character choosing not to reveal the precise truth, but everyone in the room would understand she was talking about Gendric. “You know, background, family, all that jazz.” Information was valuable, and could help them find a common ground.

“If that’s alright, I’ll give Zhaleh a break from walking so she can focus on seducing,” Laira smiled and cast a jovial glance at Zhaleh, “And when it's done I’d like to be one of the ones that talks to our friend.” She was an empath, albeit not a great one and not a telepath, but she was also a Jedi and more importantly, a Resistance fighter. Maybe he would open up to a pretty redhead who knew what it was like to be him, at least to a small degree.

Leo stepped out of the small area he and Vagt, the bothan, had been deciphering code in, “Captain, we’ve got wristlinks working on encryption but its going to be a few hours before we have any results.” He put a hand on Laira’s back, “You alright, red?” looking her over for injuries, noticing that other than some smoke and dust trapped on her features from the fight she was no worse for wear, though his bright blue eyes did linger here and there. Laira smiled at him and patted his side, and though she didn’t check on him visually her presence in the Force seemed to focus in on him.

Laira raised an eyebrow, “Better if you’d scratch my back.”

~

The world seemed to fade as the waves took over, and for a moment Saeza felt a presence being drawn within her own, merging as they crossed their consciousnesses into the deep. The world was far away, fuzzy and difficult to perceive, as though their senses were dulled by deep water as the pair floated, even the sensation of others’ presences in the Force seemed to move far away.

Saeza’s relatively happy memories of her childhood bounded around in her mind, though to outsiders it may have seemed like she had been picked on and excluded by her fellows throughout her life, to her they were fond memories. Of Laira and Leo, of Faljinn, and of the trio of Droids she called friends. Of her first Master Kol Varon, a noble looking Jedi warrior and of B’rahk’s shadow cast over her while he stood against those that would do her harm.

The mask, again and again buzzed in the peripheral of her memories. Faded and hazy as if not truly there. The darkest shadows of her thoughts glinted with reflective light from the exoskeleton of the serpentine beasts she had battled, but the light burned them all away. Laira’s blazing blue saber, B’rahk’s green, Leo’s red blaster bolts. And even her own yellow blade brandished at her fears, though the corners of her mind were still fraught with doubt and uncertainty.

She recoiled her senses from Nuroch’s however, any time they brushed against her she withdrew from them, seeking to preserve as much of his privacy as was possible.

And then they would pull apart once more, floating alone in the vastness of the Force as it flowed around their consciousnesses. <See, this is not so bad. I like talking to you, and it will help us both recover.> The New Jedi Order of ancient times had practiced and used this technique to recover in between skirmishes with the Vong, and even short hour long trances were extremely beneficial for recovery, better than a nights rest if used sparingly.

<Do you have family, or any loved ones?>

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

"I am fine," Zhaleh insisted. "I merely need some time." She glanced over to Rhea, who was standing silently in the background. "I am happy that you are unharmed. I was concerned when the fighting broke out."
"We managed," Rhea said stoically. It sounded forced. "It is good to see we all did. We have more serious fighting ahead of us."

"Light duty," Elpsis decided, giving Zhaleh a serious look. "By all means hit up this...Braxton and see what he can offer. Don't forget he's simply a minion of our present employer. Unless he's really that simple, he'll be trying the same thing as you. He's not a friend."
"None of them are," Rhea said darkly.
Did Elpsis have the suspicion that Laira might risk their cover in order to try and 'convert' the Lieutenant because he seemed nice? Perhaps. In any event, she was not here to convert or redeem anyone. Anyone who was still with the First Order was an enabler or active participant in their crimes. They had made their choice and would have to suffer the consequences.
"My only friends in the stars are in this war band," Zhaleh spoke calmly and sincerely. She would obey her superior's orders. She rolled her eyes when Laira talked about seducing. "It does not hurt to find out what he knows though."
"Just give him a good look of your ears. Humans are into those, it would seem. But don't let him touch them," Nyssa said sarcastically.

"Diona is responsible for everything going on at the shuttle. She should be chatting with our friend when they arrive. If you find out something actionable, inform her of it and she'll act accordingly. You may assist under her direction," Elpsis instructed Laira. Her tone was not unkind, but clipped, professional and authoritative. She gave Leo a curt nod. Ironically, she had the impression that she understood him better than she did Laira. But then he was a professional soldier moulded by Imperial training and indoctrination. That made his actions, in her view, predictable. He would do his job without fuss, but in the end prioritise Laira and she presumed Saeza if it came to that. Laira lived partly in the real world, partly in a world of make believe. The Lieutenant made no comment on the display of affection between the two. "Fair. You think it's the real deal?"

"Given that he's using an obscure Bakuran play and several rare alien languages from the unknown regions mixed with gibberish, yes," Vagt responded confidently. "If you want to lead someone on the wrong path, you put in just enough effort to make it seem like work before they hit the jackpot. You don't go that far."
"Alright, it's your ball. Run with it." Elpsis did not know a thing about breaking codes and was comfortable admitting that. Besides, she'd be unable to read the sheet anyway. So it was best to leave it to people who seemed to know what they were doing.
The Bothan nodded. "Got it, ma'am. Also gotta make sure everyone's stocked up on ammo and supplies. Our reserves are at the shuttle. There's a lot more 'rebels' waiting in the wings and I wouldn't want to ask a Firsty quartermaster."
"You know, Captain, 'Horns' said she was looking for job opportunities, wasn't she?" Nyssa suddenly interjected. This was presumably code for something. "Maybe we should inform her of the bombing weathere here. Same terms as Taris."

xxx

Nuroch caught a glimpse of the images floating around in Saeza's mind, though he aimed not to dive in and see what was not his to see. His memories were different...and yet similar. He had been grown in a vat as one of many clones that were churned out by Dominion laboratories at regular intervals. Before he took his first breath, it had already been decided that he would join the Jedi. Such was the law in the glorious Dominion of Light. There were memories of his siblings and his time training.

Then of battle and bloodshed. When the Dominion grew desperate, it threw even poorly trained Padawans into the meat grinder. There was loss...but also joy, even love. The image of a Zabrak female flashed in his mind a couple times. Kereaza. More outgoing and spontaneous than Nuroch, she had him a different world.

For a while, there was hope. But the candle of light did not endure for long before the darkness snuffed it out. A shadow loomed over both of them. The kindly, compassionate visage of the Grandmaster stared down upon those agitating for change. Nuroch was one of them. The Grandmaster's eyes glittered with benevolence and generosity. Then the wolves closed in. There was no change.

Kereaza was torn from him. There were images of beatings and humiliation. And a dark room with a set of numbers on it: 101. You betrayed her. You failed her. You put her there, the disembodied voices echoed in his mind. Sometimes they sounded like Kereaza, at others times they were those of his interrogator or his own. Then was fire and blood. An avenging phoenix, more inferno than human, rose. She was beautiful and terrible to behold in her incancesdent rage as she tore through the camp.

<<I...used to. Not anymore. How about you? Those Jedi you're with now - they treat you well?>> Noise could be heard coming from outside the shuttle. Diona, Shikoba and their new 'friend' were approaching.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira gave Elpsis a wink of acknowledgement, letting Leo scratch her back for a moment while she listened. “Oakily doakily, Captain.” The redhead responded, fumbling in her pockets to retrieve Jalor’s identification and pass it to Leo. “Here, take this. When we leave here I’d like to shoot his family a message.” Her silver eyes glanced at Zhaleh, “She’s right, some humans go wild for the exotic types, but since its FO can’t be too exotic without being a hypocrite so nice ear rubs are probably as crazy as their imagination goes.” Outside torture or whatever other things they got up to during their height.

“We’ll keep an eye on it, but it will take some time. Processing power available and other factors involved. Not much left but to wait.” Leo sighed contendedly, letting his hand fall away from Laira’ back and receive the offered wallet securing it in one of the pouches on his belt.

“Convenient.” Laira piped up when the subject of rearming and resupplying came up, “I won’t need any ammo packs, still got spares. Leo should be good too.”

“Yeah, gonna check in on Saeza but she was walking when she left for the shuttle so she should be okay.”

“Give her a hug from me.”

~

Fire and bright light, hints of intense emotional memories glinted at from their momentary shared moments. Saeza knew that Nuroch had not been raised in comfort or relative ease. She had been too naive as a child to live in fear, and as a teenage and young adult she had been among the Jedi, safe and sound.

<Laira and Leo treat me like family. Either of them would die for me without hesitation.> It was true Laira had threatened to hunt and drag either she or Leo from the netherworld if either of them thought about dying.

<I am proud to be alongside them both, though as a Knight I could go off on my own now. They go out of their way to ensure I am comfortable, happy, and appreciated and the Outcast is the closest thing I know to a home.> When she had been Knighted the Remnant had offered her a choice of postings, as they did for all Knights. Master B’rahk left the most freedom for his Jedi, letting them roam and go where they must with the least oversight, even if he was often the harshest Jedi Master to be assigned to.

<You are still young, you could find a new family again. There is always hope for love in the light.> Saeza would have smiled had they been in the physical realm, but she could only manage to give the sensation of warmth while in their suspended state.

The noise, as though heard through water, or at a considerable distance was boots. Their presences in the Force flickered like small, tiny pieces of the immeasurable whole around the pair.

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

The wink was completely lost on Elpsis, who could not see facial features or expressions. Truth be told, she did not really know what Laira's face looked like. In any event, she showed no reaction to it. If she had seen it, she would have disapproved, just as she disapproved of 'oakily doakily'. To her, it sounded like something a child would say. And Laira wanting Leo to scratch her back in the middle of a meeting struck her as plain needy.

Would it kill you to act like a grownup and show some professionalism, for once? she wondered scatologically. Perhaps it was an unfair judgement, but the Jedi wore her heart on her sleeve. That was a problem. It also implied a degree of familiarity that did not exist between them. She and Laira were not friends. Pre-Tephrike Elpsis had been more given to levity and joking around. Sometimes Elpsis missed her. At other times she made her angry or roused her to pity. Her old self was gone and there was nothing left inside her for anyone to break. Nyssa's hands stayed away from Elpsis.

In any event, she gave Leo a curt nod. There was a mission to focus on. That mission and keeping her team alive were the only things that mattered now. "You have your assignments. Maintain comms contact. Dismissed," she said crisply.

xxx

<<Let's leave the light out of this. Anyway, things are looking up. I got off that rock. So did a bunch of my people. We're tight - for the most part. I can live my life the way I want. I even met a Jedi I like. I suppose the Force has a sense of humour. I'm glad that they're...good to you.>>

The sound of boots grew louder as the trio entered the shuttle. "They should've set up an alternating watch," Diona mumbled disapprovingly. Both were clearly tired, but that was why they could have taken turns. Her blue eyes fell upon Saeza and Nuroch, who seemed to be meditating in some form. "Shikoba, you're first watch."
Gendric looked around. "You've got a Vong?" he spoke. "And a squid."
"Your eyes do not deceive you. 'Tis strange that everyone on this miserable world seems to revile this being, and she wants to sacrifice herself for everyone. As for the other, he is useful on occasion," Shikoba remarked.
"If you mind, keep your feelings to yourself," Diona told him sternly. She had her own reasons to feel uncomfortable around Vong, but they were irrelevant.
"Sit down." Without waiting for a response, she pulled off his helmet and him down onto the seat. Then she cuffed him.
"So much for same side, huh?"
"That depends on you," the former Jedi said flatly. "I used to be in a similar position. I was the drone of a tyrannical government quite like your First Order. I did heinous things in their name. One day I rebelled. So I want to help your group. It's your choice whether to help me do that. Or watch your comrades perish."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira sat down next to Zhaleh, stretching her legs out and getting as comfortable as one could on a duracrete floor before working on her comlink to message the young lieutenant. “Lessee,” she muttered as the redhead began to text.

<Braxton, its Jaina. Checking in on you since we had to leave so suddenly and were worried about you. Zhaleh is injured but recovering and conscious.>

“There, that should be a good opener. Anyway, I figure we’ll take it easy, make him meet us nearby and drive us around if need be. I don’t want you walking too much.” Laira smiled warmly at the qadiri, sympathetic for the girl’s injuries but knowing all too well most of them would end up hurt before they managed to leave this planet. Such was the way of battles, few people walked away unscathed.

Leo nodded and patted Laira’s shoulder enough to acknowledge he was leaving, feeling her off-handed pat against his leg in response as he grabbed his things and headed back towards the shuttle with the rest of the pair.

Laira’s comlink buzzed and she read it aloud to Zhaleh, “Hey, that’s good to hear you two are gonna be alright. How is the rest of your team? I am fine, didn’t see much action. They have me taking statements down by the cantina.” She pursed her lips contemplating a response. “Whatcha think? Ask him to come here, like he’s gonna take our statements then see about getting him to give us access to the FOSB database about our dude?”

~

Saeza didn’t react, her form and body sat silently. She and Nuroch in their Force-assisted state of suspended animation barely showed the pair breathing to outsiders. In fact, Saeza would barely register a pulse at all, though she was clearly alive and well. Their voices sounded distant to her senses.

<It seems some of your friends have returned.> The girl remarked quietly, doing everything but metaphysically cocking her head, <I suppose life has a way of usurping our expectations when we least expect it. I do not know how much control the Force has in it though. My masters have always subscribed to the notion of the Unifying Force and Living Force, that we are all bound within the Force and that it can help guide us, but is not its own entity.> Her own study of the Force included several schools of thought, even among her Master’s it varied some as the nature of the Force was mystery.

<It is amusing to imagine a fourth dimensional being pushing us together though, reminds me of Yun-Txiin and Yun-Q’aah who were the Lover Gods of the Yuuzhan Vong. They were said to have once paired a Warmaster with a lowly warrior so as to teach him humility.> The story went that the Warmaster’s hubris resulted in his death on Ebaq 9 because he had forgone the will of the gods in the attempt to hunt another of the Yuuzhan Vong pantheon as if hoping to ascend himself and now his name was lost to many of the species, only scholars still recalled him.

<Tell me about the ones you lost, if it does not pain you too greatly and you are willing. Sometimes it is helpful to recall them to others so that we know their memory will live on past ourselves.>

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

"I appreciate that. But we'll have to endure a lot more before we leave this world." She did not like admitting it, but her injuries did bother her. She had to take greater care with her steps than she would have liked. Regardless, Laira sent her message to Braxton and soon received a reply. It appeared that the young security officer had made it out well enough. "I believe that's fine," the ice Qadiri said in affirmation.

The pair stepped out of the ruined building. As the door closed behind them, Zhaleh cast a look towards Elpsis. "She is kissed by fire, but her words are ice and her eyes empty," the Qadiri remarked. "But she has been good to me. Fair."

When Zhaleh joined Firemane, she had met humans who looked down on her and her kin for living in 'ice huts' and hunting game themselves rather than letting others slaughter chattel for them. It had angered and upset her. But Elpsis had treated her honourably. When she saw Zhaleh praying to Kashara, she had joined her in meditation, then asked her questions about her faith rather than mock her for believing there was something out there in the heavens that watched over them.

xxx

Nuroch chuckled when Saeza relayed that ancedote. <<How did that work out for the Warmaster?>> He did, in truth, know little about Yuuzhan Vong culture or religion. Back on Tephrike the Vong had simply been the demonic enemy who hated Force-Users, nailed captive Jedi to trees and blew up academies.

<<Kereaza. That was her name. Zabrak girl. She was...something. Smart. Spirited. A lot braver than me. She was a Jedi like me. Funny thing is that she had her master completely fooled into thinking she had bought the party line, when in truth she was anything but. She showed me a world outside of goose-stepping for the Dominion. She saw its true nature clearer than me.>>

Meanwhile, Shikoba had taken up position outside. The Vashyada had hidden in one of the trees and was watching the forest for signs of intruders. Gendric seemed to waver, then looked Diona right in the eye. "Fine. Who are you?"
"Our leader works for Firemane."
The rebel snorted. "Those elf-loving capitalists?"
Diona shrugged indifferently. She wore the uniform, but did not particularly care for Firemane or define herself as a servant of one of its leaders. "Their proclivities are irrelevant. They are the only ones in a position to help you. Now tell me about operations. You could not have pulled off an attack on this scale without agents in the town. Probably with a safehouse for your people. But now the Order will be tightening the noose. Sooner or later, someone will talk, and they'll come for them."
He was quiet for what seemed like an eternity, though only a couple seconds passed. "We have someone on the inside. Feeds us intel. Provides fake IDs and shelter."
"Their name..."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

<He attempted to hunt Yun-Shuno to prove his supremacy and was killed by the very god he hunted. Yun-Shuno atoned the warrior caste for that warmaster’s hubris by destroying the Supreme Overlord.> Saeza responded, retelling the story of Jacen Solo and Warmaster Tsavong Lah and their rivalry during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy. She had later read the real historical accounts, but preferred the account from the Yuuzhan Vong who had used it to remind one another there were none who could challenge the gods. Perhaps that is why they had so easily fallen to the Dark Lord of the One Sith.

<Kereaza.> Saeza repeated the name in her mind, echoing it until she committed it to memory. <She sounds as though she will be missed, but perhaps you will take solace in the knowledge that we are all returned to the Force one day, and maybe there you will be together again.> Not everyone believed in an afterlife, though the Netherworld incident more or less proved the existence of one for the wider galaxy. Saeza hoped that he would find what he was looking for before then however.

~

“That’s good.” Laira said quietly, “She was kind-hearted when I met her too, that’s why we hit it off and were friends back then. That’s one of the reasons I’m here now too.” Endless duty to the Force only went so far and could only drive one for so long, eventually everyone needed friends and loved ones to keep their mind sharp and focused. Without them, the will to fight against evil inevitably extinguished.

<On our way to the street where the Occupier got blown up. You could swing by soon and take our statements if you wanted, we did see some stuff during the fight.> She added an emoji to the text and sent it off, walking slowly so as not to outpace Zhaleh or put undo strain on her and her injured leg.

“Well, we’ll try to get this done quick so we can get you back to the shuttle to rest and let that amulet do its trick on you.” Such a Force-imbued object generally worked best when the person involved was resting, though it had the benefit of being mobile and easy to wear so a patient could just wear it in the field.

Her comlink buzzed, “Ah, he’s gonna get away and come meet us in about ten minutes.” She read the message allowed and sent a simple response.

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

"One is fortunate to fight alongside people one has a bond with," Zhaleh agreed. "I had a war band on Tygara. Now I have a new one in the sky-ocean. It is a strange one...but it is mine. And I shall win honour for it in the eyes of my ancestors."

Until recently, the Tygaran arctic had been Zhaleh's world. She'd known that her people had southron cousins who lived in deserts and great cities and that the Xioquo who often attacked her people came from a dark and grim land beneath the earth. But she had only known of these places through stories. They might as well have existed on a different planet as far as she was concerned. Now she was on a different planet. To say that this was mind-boggling would be an understatement. In such a situation, it was best to have something tangible to hold onto, especially in the face of adversity.

Anyhow, Laira and Braxton exchanged messages, and they received confirmation that the lieutenant would come over. Zhaleh acknowledged this with a nod. The Qadiri ice mage walked slowly to avoid agitating her injury too much. Looking around the devastation, she was quiet. Zhaleh was by no means unused to bloodshed.

The icy north was not for the faint of heart. She had learned how to patrol, scout and fight at an age where she, even by the standards of her race, would have been considered a child. A fight against a strong opponent was a way to prove one's strength, dedication and bravery. There was honour to be found in that. But this seemed different to her. More callous.

Finally she broke the silence. "Where are you from? Tell me of your home." Whether she wanted to hear about Laira's or Jaine's home was another question. Presumably she would be happy with the cover identity.

xxx

"It's a woman, but I only know the codename," Gendric responded. "Fulcrum." Because apparently this thread had not had enough meta references yet.
"Does the same hold true for all your people?" Diona asked.
Gendric nodded. "If you're sincere, make sure our people get out and she keeps her head on her shoulders."

<<There's no death, there's the Force, huh? Back home the Windians say 'there is no death, there is the Light'. Figures. Can't say I'm a believer, but I like to think that she's not wholly gone. That she's in a better place somewhere.>> After all, it was on him that she had not lived to see the day where they would be free. He paused for a while. <<Why are you doing this? Any of it.>> Presumably he referred to her heroic escapades in general.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira nodded in agreement, “Aye, it's good to have friends. Saeza and Leo have kept me alive, and I’ve kept them alive. In the end I suppose that’s what matters most, being alive with people who want you alive.” The redhead said as they walked slowly, shrugging her shoulders as she did. Outside of her parents, they were probably the only two that really wanted her alive anyway. Most others probably wouldn't mind if she didn't survive this mission or the next, and her relationship with her parents was not ideal. She had left her responsibilities to her homeworld to be a Jedi after all. Something she probably wasn't managing well compared to most others.

“My home? It is my ship, the one I came to the Forge on. The fastest ship in the galaxy, realspace and hyperspace. Three bedrooms, two bath, two quad lasers, three missile launchers. I rebuilt the engines myself,” with considerable help from Rowdy and Leo, “It is where I hail from and where I look forward to laying my head when I sleep.” She shrugged, there wasn’t much else to tell about the freighter, though it was what she felt inside. Laira was a nomad, going where the Force and her whim took her to help those in need.

Her storm-grey eyes looked up, seeing the small ground car that likely carried their friend pulling towards them.

~

<One does not have to believe,> Saeza said comfortingly, <She is out there. I am sure of it.>

<I am a Jedi.> Saeza responded rather bluntly, without inflection. <It is not what I am, it is who I am. I felt a calling to help others, and I was born with the ability to do so. What else could I have done?> Rhetorical in her response, the Vong girl knew there was a thousand possibilities she could have pursued outside the Jedi Order once she was old enough.

Perhaps there was some desire to earn the admiration of her only parental figure in some manner, but even that fell short of the calling she felt to be a Jedi. It was everything of her being to put herself on the line so that others might not find themselves in such a predicament.

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

That is not the home I meant. The void-ocean is home to innumerable worlds. Which are you from? Or were you born on the void-ship? Zhaleh wondered. Perhaps Laira's parents were deceased, or was she estranged from them in some way? Zhaleh could relate to that to a degree. She had left her tribe in anger after her mother the Scheikha had entered a pact with the Xioquo responsible for her father's death.

It did not matter that these drows had not personally killed him - or that they had been slave-soldiers. Or that it was a necessity to survive the winter after strife had decimated both groups. She had seen her tribe's enemies and self-exiled herself. It had taken a while for her to come to terms with it. She had gone on a hunt to salvage her honour.

Perhaps Laira had been banished and was now on a quest of sorts? Based on the way she spoke, she only had Leo and Saeza. "That is an impressive void-ocean ship," the young Qadiri warrior said instead. "I would like to see it when our mission is complete." Anyhow, their 'friend' had arrived. She sensed his presence as a groundcar pulled up.

xxx

<<With your gifts? Many things, I'd imagine.>> Nuroch assumed that Saeza's question was rhetorical. Doubtless the girl was smart enough to know that she was not stuck on one path, but he responded nonetheless. His tone was dry. <<Hell, probably even things that have nothing to do with the Force.>>

The Dominion had imprinted in his mind that he had a calling...but one they alone defined. The difference was, of course, that Saeza had chosen her path and had a sense of right and wrong his masters had lacked. Still, while he barely knew her, he did feel some pangs of concern. <<Still, it's been illuminating talking to you. Thanks. Think I need to leave the trance. Getting dry here.>>

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Saeza wasn’t great at expressing her emotions in the best of times, but suspended in a Force Trance she was even less able to express them physically but they did echo around in her aura. <To be anything other than a Jedi would be something I am not.> She responded, seemingly nodding her head at his request to leave.

The Yuuzhan Vong girl dragged his aura along with her own out of the submersion in the Force and back to the physical world they had left behind in their deep meditative state. For a moment the differences between them clouded and blurred until they separated once more, finding themselves looking at one another with their real eyes, not just presences floating in the vast Life Web.

“It has been illuminating Nuroch. I think I shall return to my trance, finish recuperating.” The Yuuzhan Vong girl smiled warmly and closed her eyes once more. Her body was still recovering from the exertion, even if her connection to the Force had strengthened with their time spent in the trance together.

~

Laira grinned, “It is pretty Impressive. I’d be happy to show you around it when we get off this rock.” She exclaimed, watching the groundcar pull to a stop near them and the driver, Braxton, step out of it with a relieved expression. He seemed put at ease to see the girls in one piece, albeit he was not relieved purely due to heroic nature. To Laira it seemed both self-serving and a sense of duty, that he wanted them to be alright because he wanted to sleep with them and because he felt driven by ingrained responsibility to protect the people of this city, at least those his leaders claimed he should.

Maybe that was why the First Order managed to indoctrinate so many for so long? Appealing to their sense of honor and self-preservation while also telling them whatever horrible things they are told to do is necessary for the protection of their loved ones. Such a tactic wasn’t new by any means, but the First Order seemed to manage it extremely effectively.

“Hiya,” Laira said, giving him a wave as Braxton strode over to them, eyeing the pair for any injuries.

“Zhaleh, why don’t you sit in the front seat so you can lean it back and stretch,” He offered his hand to help her to the vehicle if she desired. “What did yall two beauties run into.”

Laira couldn’t help but blush slightly at the comment, but went about her version of what happened. “We killed a sniper, one of our battle buddies got hurt pretty badly. Zhaleh here got injured when she flew through the window.” Her silver eyes glanced at Zhaleh for a moment before continuing, “But we also saw something I wanted to check out, does your groundcar have an FOSB terminal with access to a database? I wanna follow up on a lead, of course if it goes somewhere we can loop you in.”

Elpsis Kerrigan

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

L Laira Darkhold

"You must've a way to contact this Fulcrum," Diona opined.
"We've got codes we sent over encrypted frequencies. The latest code is a fake product ad. She gets the burst transmission with the right words, she can keep her head down. You can set something up," Gendric explained.
The fallen Jedi frowned slightly. It could be a trap, or a way into the rebel camp. Fact was they had killed a bunch of rebels. If they wanted a way in, they would have to offer them something in return. "I'll contact my superiors."
"Best not wait too long. Time's short."
"I'm aware. Perhaps you should've considered this prior to your attack." With that Diona turned away. Gendric was, naturally, still cuffed. She noticed Nuroch had stirred.
"Oh, it's you," the Nautolan muttered when he saw the former Jedi. He felt very dehydrated and it seemed his limbs had fallen asleep on him, for they felt stiff.
Diona noticed his considerable lack of enthusiasm upon seeing her, but ignored it because it was not relevant. "Watch him."

xxx

Zhaleh had less experience in dealing with the indoctrinated minions of totalitarian warlords. At least in terms of interacting with them on a personal level. She had fought a First Order Remnant group, but that had been battle and she had not exactly paid their motivations any mind. Thus her closest frame of reference were the Xioquo her tribe had fought.

The drows had committed horrible deeds. Her father had been devoured by a monster summoned by them. Several of the rank and file had been slave-soldiers though - kept obedient through a mixture of fear, rewards and nationalism. Some of these mamluks become allies and joined her tribe after their defeat left them stranded. They had needed each other to survive the harsh winter. It had taken her a while to accept them and separate them from the mistresses who had held the whip.

But it seemed things were not so simple here. As she saw the groundcar come to a halt, her thoughts drifted to the corpse in the tower. The one they had 'prepared' for the Firsties. She swallowed the lump in her throat, hoping the Captain knew what she was doing. "Hello. I am glad to see you are alright," she greeted Braxton after he stepped out. The Qadiri gave the human a thin smile, though it was more guarded than the enthusiasm the scarlet-maned human female tended to display.

She thanked him for his offer, though she did not take his hand. She nodded when Laira told her version of events, though she bristled just a bit when her wounds came up. "The sniper was a good shot and fought bravely when cornered. Jaina helped kill him. I will remember him. But my injuries are not major. The Captain cleared me for duty." She left out the 'light duty' part. Laira was better equipped to talk about technical stuff than the Qadiri, who was still getting used to modern technology, so she did not chime in there.