Private Would you like some Sabotage with that Sandwhich

[Darth Daiara]

Lunch.

It was as mundane as it sounded. Potatoes coated in mayo, soggy bread with ham, and an apple. Cafeteria food, but food none the less. Aradia sat alone at a table, a her new ship's manual in hand as she mindlessly rolled around a bit of potato salad with her fork.

"Blue switch, exhaust panel," she muttered under her breath, straining to memorize every facet of the vessel Kaalia Pavanos had purchased her. There were many things in her life that Aradia couldn't control, but she would try her damnest to be ready for anything possible.

Ship failure, of course, being one of them.

Her brain felt sleepy-- overfilled with details. She yawned and reached for her cup of cafe, only to find it empty. Her expression fell, the bottom of the mug leveled a disappointed glance.

Alina Tremiru Iasha Rha

 

[Iasha Rha]

She had received a message earlier. It was not a voice message on her com or a textual message on her datapad. The message had come on old-fashioned flimsiplast, directly from a courier who had come bearing it directly to her room. Looking at the folded piece of flimsi tucked and sealed, with a ribbon of decorative black and red, she knew it was not a mission. She knew it was not an update on the war or an answer to her inquiries. The design at the letter's seal told her all too clearly where it was from.

The Imperial Mission's diplomatic service.

All day, the young twi'lek did everything she could to make herself too busy to open up the ominous message.

She went for a run through the obstacle course to check her reflexes after her recovery, attended a study group on Ur-kittat until it was overtaken by another group coming to practise their sabre forms. This time, Iasha did not feel the call to dig her heels in and keep the room to herself, so she let it go and wandered off to lunch.

If she was lucky, she'd meet Alina Tremiru there.

Soggy bread with ham, potatoes and mayonnaise was not her favourite, but it gave her a chance to think about something other than the letter.

Darth Daiara

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"You know you can refill it, right? No reason to stare so depressed like into an empty cup." Alina took a seat beside Darth Daiara , brow raised as she looked at the other acolyte. She pulled up her own cup of caf, sipping the hot liquid slowly. It wasn't too hard to tell why she seemed so exhausted, given the book she had open on the table. New ship?

"Looking to take something down or sneak aboard?" There was a playful smirk on the young woman's face. She'd never really felt like a rich kid, but given her lunch was the kind that was bought and didn't look as sad as soggy bread would likely show just a bit of that divide. She took a bite of the ceaser salad she'd gotten, looking around the room. She nearly overlooked Iasha Rha , not expecting the Twi'lek to come to the cafeteria. She'd never done it before, that Alina knew of at least.

So she'd wave the other acolyte over, big ol' smile on her face.

 

[Darth Daiara]

"That requires getting up," Aradia quipped, forlorn as she discarded the cup to the center of the table. She looked down at the book mentioned, her lips parting to inform Alina all about the new treat she had gotten, until something eyes caught her eye.

"Where did you get that?" Aradia had apparently missed the salad section. Probably because it contained the word 'salad' in it. It was an oversight she now regretted. Those green leaves looked significantly less soggy and sad.

She craned in her seat, looking around for it herself.

 

[Iasha Rha]

"Alina can afford to buy her own lunch in the commissary"

-Iasha said as she sidled up, taking the chance to claim a seat on the table despite the presence of the unfamiliar red-head. Sure, Iasha had seen her around probably, but they had never really spoken. Perhaps Aradia was one of those humans who didn't like aliens, or perhaps they just didn't share any classes. After all, she wouldn't have known Alina if it wasn't for their fortuitous alliance on Dantooine, the subsequent adventure on Korriban, and their shared training since. During which time they had become familiar with one another.

As she claimed her place, the twi'lek brushed over the fact that, up until recently, she too could afford to regularly purchase food at the commissary. It was a fact that had only recently changed because- No, she refused to think about the letter. Instead, she slapped Alina's shoulder while sitting down.

Iasha looked Aradia over, recognising the miserable expression on her face.

"Trade you my caf for your apple."

Alina Tremiru Darth Daiara

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Before she had the chance to answer Iasha Rha did for her. A small smile formed as she looked to the Twi'lek, nodding in confirmation. She didn't go further into it, no reason to. She had the credits, might as well use them for something good. Like not eating soggy bread. Her gaze flicked to Darth Daiara as another thought came to mind. Did they know each other at all? Well, thankfully Iasha had plans to try and break the ice between them. Or they did know each other.

Alina nearly laughed out loud as she paused these thoughts. She had friends. That she wasn't sure might know each other.

It was a good feeling.

She took another bite of her salad, glancing to Iasha once more. "Not often you come down this way. Anything up? Or did you miss me?" There was a hint of a teasing smirk, but she didn't lean too far into it.

 

[Darth Daiara]

"Deal."

Aradia rolled the apple over, her movements precise as she slid back the coffee. She gave it an eager sip, letting the warmth roll down her throat before she glanced at the others almost abashedly.

Years of freedom later, and sip of coffee still felt like a forbidden fruit.

She leaned elbow first on her now crowded table, cafe cupped like treasure between her hands as she curiously watched the two talk.

 

[Morné Karn]

Atrayas was hunched over the table behind the group, staring at an empty plate. His frustration had gotten the best of him. There were no more leads on finding her. That glance into the life of his sister had given him so much hope, now it had been exhausted.

His sister was in the care of a Jedi Master. A war hero. There was no clear route to even finding out exactly where they were, let alone planning a recovery. No matter how much he concentrated he could not reach Serya. Something in that moment must have made it possible to reach her.

He remained vaguely aware of the conversation behind him, but remained immersed in his silent brooding.

 

[Iasha Rha]

Iasha shrugged in response to Alina's question, a smirk growing on her lips.

"Ur'kittat class."

She picked up the apple as it rolled over and inspected it, turning it between her red fingers.

"Next time we delve into a crypt, I want to know what the urn says before we pop the lid." She made an exaggerated gesture and modulated her voice as if telling ghost stories to children. "Lest we release another mysterious bald lady from beyond the grave."

Smirking, the twi'lek opened her mouth, inadvertently showing her teeth which were filed to points, before sinking them into the apple like a leviathan ripped into their prey. Her eyes drifted over Aradia's shoulder and landed on the dark haired boy on the next table, the one looking exceedingly brooding. Now, one sometimes did, she had a feeling that she was being watched. Or perhaps more accurately, like they were being overheard by a silent observer. The counter-observation made her zone out from their conversation.

Alina Tremiru Darth Daiara Morné Karn

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Probably for the best. Running from the living dead wasn't too fun." Alina flashed a smile, but there wasn't much else she wanted to say on that. She'd been ready to die that day. She certainly didn't notice Morné Karn listening in, if only because she wasn't the best at that kind of knowledge. She was a bruiser, and all her focus went on getting stronger and faster.

Yellow eyes fell to Darth Daiara as she took another bite of her salad. "So, you planning something big?"

Iasha Rha

 

[Darth Daiara]

"Huh?" Aradia jolted, unaware it was as simply to see as the manual in her hands. "No. Why? Who said something?" She hissed, leaning in to keep her words contained. Currently it was only herself and her master that were aware of her plans to hit GA's intel station on the bounds of TSE space.

She wasn't the best at solo operations yet, but she was sure they started somewhere with 'secrecy'. The usually remarkable liar flustered in this moment, as easy to read as the manual in her hand. It had just been so out of the blue.

She shoved her coffee cup in her face, taking a quick sip of the scalding liquid in a poor attempt to defuse her own sudden tension.

 

[Morné Karn]

Atrayas did not make many friends. He did not make any friends. That did not preclude him from recognising a lie.

When a secret was held tight, then it had value. It had power. Even if the information was almost worthless, it was leverage on the one who held it dear.

Atrayas continued silently chastising himself for his own failure, but one ear was dedicated to finding out if the others were going to push back against this lie.

 

[Iasha Rha]

Iasha kept her eyes bored into the back of the acolyte on the near table while her jaw slowly worked its way through the apple. Her eyelids narrowed around her yellow eyes as she took a new bite out of the fruit.

"Mhm, yeah" -she said absent-mindedly, not listening to the two others. Unintentionally, her tone came off as terribly sarcastic.

"Tell me about it"

The twi'lek looked down at the apple in her hand and the jagged line where her pointed teeth had ripped into it. Her eyes then flicked over to Aradia.

Alina Tremiru Darth Daiara Morné Karn

 

[Alina Tremiru]

A rather playful smirk spread across Alina's lips as she watched the momentary panic from Darth Daiara . The fact she was trying to hide something only made the young woman that much more interested in what exactly was being plotted. Her gaze flicked to Iasha Rha though, momentary worry in her gaze. What had her so distracted? Her gaze would fall to Morné Karn as she followed the Twi'lek's, peering suspiciously.

Was it him listening in?

"Hey, come over here."

 

[Morné Karn]

Atrayas lifted his gaze from the table as he was addressed. He slowly turned to face the tall woman.

"Why?" he asked plainly.

Atrayas felt no shame at being caught listening in. It was a public space. Sith should have known better than to hold any conversation of interest in public. However, if she thought she could order him about then she was going to need to provide an explanation.

Alina had not even used a tone of command. Atrayas was not good at recognising tone and inflection. He was not good with people at all.