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[SWAW] M'Haeli Meet (18)
We pick up a couple days later. The Profit Margin has just landed on N'croth, which is a sizable city nestled in a huge mountain range. M'Haeli is a beautiful world, with an indigenous species who are somewhat similar to Bothans, the the H'drachi. However, they were subjugated by humans long ago and no longer rule themselves.
Squall dropped details on the residential district with the house location and passkey info for you. It's several blocks from here, secluded, too.
Who's coming off the ship with you?
Comments
It's Amarath and me that are directly involved, so we're the ones that knock on the door. I've warned her strictly not to do any killing without answers first, but I know that whether she respects that is a coin-toss. Hosk is outside the house with his rifle and on comms. Jojee and Squall remain on the Margin for now.
Amy and I approach the door, and I enter the passkey.
To the left-hand side is a small kitchen area with a cut-out and a small counter with two stools. To the right is a short hallway to rooms in the back. You hear soft humming, a song you recognize, actually, coming from the hallway, sounds like it's coming closer.
Amy has her pistol out and ready. She steps out of the entryway and over by the couch, moving fast and quiet so she can flank whoever is coming.
What do you do?
That song... an ancient aubade, romantic and calm. The gist is "Dawn is coming, and we must part. Our time was sweet, but light is shining through the curtains."
I pull my blaster, focus on the point where the approaching voice will enter.
Amarath takes aim, but she's waiting, for now. What do you do?
"Hello." That covers it, for now.
The man drops his towel and jumps back in surprise, seeing you and then Amarath, "Oh Star! Dwang, don't shoot!"
I give Amy a look, but keep my blaster trained on the man. "We won't shoot... yet. Anyone else in the house?"
He covers himself with a hand, looks like he wants to run back to the bedroom, but doesn't. Not making eye contact, "No. Just me! Are you Ladro? Please tell me you're Ladro!"
Amarath's watching, but she's also trying to see what she can see. She has this comical smirk on her.
"I'm Ladro." This is surreal. At least Amy's enjoying herself.
He glances over at Amarath, who obviously freaks him out a little. "Can I, ah, put on some clothes before I go with you?"
"Sure. Amarath, why don't you escort our new friend to his bedroom so he can cover that junk up properly." Amazingly, I say this with a completely straight face.
Amarath waves towards the bedroom with her blaster, "C'mon hero. You don't have anything I haven't seen before."
He steals a glance at you, but heads into the bedroom. Amarath follows, shutting the door behind her.
I take a look around the room while Amy and... whoever it is... are gone. Looking for anything of note, any reason why Sark might've sent me here.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 5, 1. Total: 7)
But you should be advised you're being recorded. You can spot the small cameraholes, there are a few blind spots.
In the other room, you hear Amarath talking to this guy in low tones, sound baffled by the closed door.
I walk to the bedroom door and open it. "Time to go. If your space peepee is still blowing in the wind, too bad."
The guy's fully dressed. He was stuffing a few things into his pack as you entered. He looks up, "Sure, sure. I'm ready to go. Don't have to be rude, you know."
"His name's Ceric. He's an idiot."
"Is that what you got from our one minute conversation?" Ceric says with irritation. "I think I got psycho borg-chick myself."
"Nice to meet you, Ceric. Where are we going, and what's there?"
Ceric stops for a second, "Wait, you're in the dark? That's odd." He shakes it off, starts for the door. "You're turning me over to the Rebels on Kiffu."
Kriff me, I hate not knowing what's going on. "Okay, not another word. Seriously, not one more. You too, Amy. Back to the ship, now." I take Ceric's arm and start walking quickly to the Margin.
But nobody stops you. You can head straight to the Profit Margin without incident.
Once we get to the Margin, I tell Ceric and Amy to wait in the airlock, but move into the ship myself. Over comms, "Squall, FC, I need someone to run a scan on the man in the airlock. Looking for any anomalies. Passive or active surveillance devices, transmitters, anything that could compromise us. Please let me know what you come up with."
Factory Control responds immediately, "I'm checking now, Captain."
Squall responds a moment later, "I'm back-checking, too."
After a couple minutes, Factory Control says, "I detect no active signals from either figure in the airlock, Captain. I will continue to monitor in case it is a timed broadcast. Do you need me to secure a holding room?"
"No, it's fine for now, but thank you. Can I have everyone that breathes meet me in the common area post-haste, please? FC, if you'll continue to monitor, that would be great." I open the airlock and have Amy escort Ceric to the common area, waiting for Hosk to return to the ship before locking it down and following.
Jojee looks at Ceric, then asks, "Cap, you want me to finish prepping the Margin to take off?"
"Not yet, Jo. Okay, Ceric, as you so cleverly deduced, I have no kriffing clue what's going on, which makes me really, really grumpy. Tell me what you know."
Ceric looks at you, nods, then says in a direct tone, "My name is Ceric Hawke. Until a week ago, I was a lieutenant in second regiment of the Imperial forces on the Venator class Star Destroyer The Sword of Destiny. I met a captured rebel who was being transported to a long-term detention center. After several weeks of conversation with him, I decided to defect. After months of searching for a rebel cell, I found you. Or, it seems, someone who claimed to be you. Messages back and forth were coded, and he was very secretive, working through other parties. I trusted him, and now. Well, now I pray that you will help me."
"So, we're taking you to Kiffu? Were you given a name?"
"Yours." he answers directly. "That's all."
"Okay." I pause for a second. "FC, are you listening? What did you come up with on Sark's location?"
• the information it gives you is reliable. (in this situation, it would mean you get a scope of his operations, but wouldn't have his current location)
• the information it gives you is current . (in this situation, it would be you get his current location, but no other details)
On a miss, it's a disaster. The MC will detail.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 5, 1. Total: 7)
"Yes, Captain, I'm listening. I have tracked him to the Venator class Star Destroyer The Sword of Destiny, the same vessel Lieutenant Hawke was on. This appears to have been his main base of operations for the last two years, but he frequently travels away from the Star Destroyer on a variety of smaller vessels."
Factory Control adds, "I have located six other contact points, individuals or smaller starships that he frequently contacts through the same means as he has contacted you. It appears he has a small network of informants and resources he is using for missions similar to what you have been doing."
"FC, I know this is really hypothetical, but if you didn't know that Sark wore a uniform, just based on his contacts and the nature of those missions, who would you say he was working for?"
"It's fairly obvious he is working to the detriment of the Imperial Navy. I believe he is serving the Rebellion."
Squall interjects, "He could be setting us up to reveal the Rebellion to him."
"Based on the amount of damage done to the Imperial Navy from your missions alone, Captain, I find that highly unlikely."
I nod, though I know FC can't see me. "So, Ceric, we take you to Kiffu and turn you over to the Rebellion. That's all you know? I don't suppose your contact gave you a fat credit chip to cover expenses..."
Ceric reaches into his pack, pulls out a small case, "You sent me ten thousand credits." He opens it, showing the currency.
"Remember, it wasn't me, no matter what name you were given. I'll get you to Kiffu, though. Jojee and Squall, kindly get us ready to go and off-planet. Hosk, if you'd get Ceric settled, I'd appreciate it. Amarath, my cabin, please?" I stand and take the case from Ceric, then wait for questions.
Squall sets zir jaw a bit, "We should space him, Captain. He could put your family in danger."
"I'll take that under advisement, Squall, but we can't space him until we're in space." I look around the room. "Anything else?"
Amarath follows you to your cabin, "No karking way Sark is a Rebel. They're supposed to be the good guys, right? He's a piece of sithspit!"
"I suppose even the good guys need the occasional sleemo, Amy. I just can't disagree with FC on this, though. It's all wheels within wheels, but just the work I've done... it's hard to see how even infighting between Imp factions can explain it."
"I guess beggars can't be choosers, but this still smells wrong, Ladro. You and I both know Sark is an evil bastard." Amarath is fuming.
"Oh, it smells like a bantha pen on a hot day, Amy, that's for sure. I'm not justifying what Sark has done to either of us... I'm just asking you not to shoot him on sight, assuming we ever manage to lay eyes on him again. I want... I need to understand what's been going on."
"Don't you worry, Ladro. I'm not gonna shoot Sark,." Amarath assures you. "That would kill him too quick." She shakes her head, then holds up a hand, "I just want that karking thing out of my head!"
She knows she's ranting, doesn't require an answer. But this was not what she expected.
I nod. "I get it, Amy. We're in very deep waters, paddling for our lives." I turn to pour some water from the carafe on my desk. "I'm sure you think I'm a tyrant who wants to keep you from enjoying yourself, but I'm glad you're with us, Amy."
That gets a wry laugh out of her, "Hah, Ladro. Right, right, make with the jokes. You're not the one that could pop like a grape any moment. Even now, he could just get an itchy trigger finger and... BAM." She claps her hands together with a loud SMACK. "Why do you think I live this way? Leave nothing behind, you won't get a second chance. It's driving me mad."
"We'll get that thing out, Amy. It doesn't mean anything to me to get from under Sark if you're still in danger." I look her in the eyes, taking in both the flesh and the metal. "I'm serious about being glad you're here."
For a moment, she looks right back. It shifts from "you're joking with me" to "really?" She breaks eye contact, "Well, thanks."
She heads over to sit on your bed, leaning back on her flesh hand, looking around,"So what's next? We just play along?"
I nod. "This feels like an end-game move, doesn't it? Or something close to it. I say we ride this out but keep our blasters ready. I have contact in the Rebellion on Kiffu. I'll get in touch once we're close, and see how they want to play the hand-off."
"I was there, Ladro, remember? It's your brother. You sure you want to risk him getting caught?"
"I don't see any choice but to at least talk to him. I'll spend some time with Ceric on the way, try to get a real sense of what's going on. We'll figure this out. We have to."
She shrugs, then lays back on your bed, staring at the ceiling,"Suit yourself. I've got your back. But I really don't want Darkal to get hurt because we kriffed up trusting the wrong Imperial sleemo."
"Neither do I, of course." I look at Amy, then the door, looking for a way to say, "Okay, I'm done. Go away." without saying, "Okay, I'm done. Go away." "So, back to Kiffu yet again..."
She doesn't look up, "Your bed is softer than the one in my quarters."
"I'm the captain. My bed is supposed to be softer than yours."
"Yeah, that makes sense. Still, I am a guest. I'm paying to be here. Would be nice to get an upgrade." She puts her hands behind her head, wiggling a little into the bed.
Maybe I should go ahead and address this issue. "Amarath, I'm wondering... You have skills and contacts that this crew could use, and no matter what happens with Sark, I can't walk away from what I feel in my bones now about the Empire. I'm going to keep making money, but take whatever opportunities I can to do that at the expense of the kriffing Imps. So, my question is... you feel like joining up?"
She lifts her head up, her left brow furrowed a bit in disbelief. "I thought you hate me, Ladro? Wanted to get rid of me the moment Sark's dead body hit the deck?" She sits up, no hesitation, her abdominal muscles strong from exercise and talent. "Why the change of heart? I'm just a bounty hunter. I'm no kriffing rebel. Plus, Squall wants rid of me, too. So... there's that."
"Oddly enough, it was Hosk that brought it up to me. He just found out he lost a lot of family in the Battle of Korriban. I can't go back... to just picking up enough credits to stay afloat and get drunk on days off. Can you?" I take another sip of water. "And as to Squall. Ze makes zir own personal decisions, but I'm the captain. I will say... if you do sign on, I'm not big on kriffing within the crew. Made my own mistakes and paid the price." Technically, Leeadra wasn't crew, but the lesson's the same.
She walks up to you, looking at you close. She's still dubious, "Hosk lost family? He didn't mention it to me. That's... that's awful is what it is." Her red eye fades into a dull orange. "I'm not much of a crew kind of girl. You know that. Same pay as the others? And, you wouldn't forbid me kriffing a crewmember, right?"
"Same pay, same expectations. I'll need you to pull your weight finding paying work, as well, with your bounty hunter license and reputation. I pick the jobs, though. I don't expect you to keep your lip buttoned all the time, but once I say it's time to buckle down, I expect you to do what you need to. And as to kriffing... I forbid you to cause a problem on this ship, and strangely, I trust you to know if you're doing that."
She listens, mouth a tight line, "My talent is causing problems, Ladro. You know that." She says in a humorless tone. "I say the poodoo other beings ignore. I'm sure you want that, right? Other than a steady hand with a blaster, I'm not much good otherwise."
"Causing problems is your gift, Amarath, and I value it. I just need to make sure it's focused outward and not at the rest of the crew. And you're right, I need someone to say the poodoo other beings ignore, but I need that person to be able to fall in line when the cards are down. Your steady hand doesn't do us much good if it's not aimed in the same direction as the rest of us."
I step back and sit in my desk chair. "Listen. I'm saying that I trust you and I value you, and that I want you to be part of my crew, if you understand what a 'crew' means. I'm not asking you to say 'Yes, sir.' I'm asking you to be part of a team and try to commit to that."
Her mouth opens slightly, but she covers it by shifting a bit, looking down at your chin. "Well.... I'll think it over. Maybe we talk after we drop Hawke and his moderately sized space peepee on Kiffu, then get back off in one piece. I tell you this. I'm not a fan of bringing trouble to our home, Ladro. I mean, sure, they stole my clan name, but it's.... it's home."
She moves past you, for the door, pauses for a moment as it opens,"I'm not gonna call you Captain. Your ego's big enough already."
Spending 1-bond to ask one question. "How does Amarath feel about this?"
She's scared. Scared of trusting people, of needing to live up to their expectations. She's been pushing herself for a while with this sword of damocles over her, Not trusting anyone, living for the moment, no clan, no responsibilities. But she's craved something just like this, exactly what you've offered.
She'll take it. You know that for sure.
"If I wanted my ego stroked, I wouldn't be asking you to join us, Amy. You and me, we'll make sure that we're not bringing trouble home with us. Okay? Then we'll talk." I know what it's like, being cut out. I did it myself, originally, but mama made it official on my last, disastrous visit. "Think about what I've said, whether you can do what I'm asking."
My mind is swirling. So much I should do... talk to Ceric, to FC, reassure Squall and Hosk. Instead, I move to the bridge. "How long until I get to push the button, Jo?"
Jojee glances over, rotating her seat slightly, "FC's programmed hyperspace coordinates for Kiffu and we're out of atmo and in position. Whenever you're ready, Cap."
I reach out my hand to push the button, then pause. "Why are you here, Jojee? Why did you really come with me? You had a sure thing, maybe not a straight arrow to the future you want, and here, well... it's crazy-time. And I think you knew that."
"What is she really feeling?"
She was smiling when you reached for the button, enjoying your still-there glee at the action. You pause, she looks over at you when you ask why she's here. Her smile slips as she grows suddenly serious. "Well. At first, I told myself I hated Lee. That she stole the Libation from me. That she was running spice. That she kicked Squall off the ship after abandoning her. I mean zir. And those are still good reasons."
She swallows, like she's steadying herself, "But it was you, Ladro. I knew I could trust you. That you'd have my back. You really meant it when you asked what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be. I want to fly this ship. I like being part of this crew. Even karking Amy. Mostly." She switches to a bit or irritation, like it's easier for her than expressing happiness. "If Amy stomps on poor Squally's heart, I'm going to kick her teeth in. I just want you to know that. Did she sleep with those kriffing miners?"
"I'm guessing that she did sleep with those miners, but I don't know, and I really don't need to. You feel free to kick in some teeth if it's warranted, though. It's just that I... I can't be anyone's baba and still be their captain. Not out loud, at least, no matter how much I want to."
Jojee's ire's still up a little, "I'd rather Squall kick her karking teeth in. But ze won't. Why not? Why won't our Squally stand up for zirself?"
I stay cool. "Ze's working on it, Jo. Amy let slip that Squall had been pushing her away. We... have to work with Squall. Ze's been bottom of the barrel for most of zir life. A lousy fighter in a culture that valued fighting above all else. Ze managed to excel as an engineer, could probably be a galaxy-wide star as a hyperspace mathematician, but that initial 'lack'... it's still there. Ze's not filling the hole with spice, we have to let zir find what it is that does fill it. There are going to be mis-steps along the way."
"Alright. We'll play it your way, Cap. It's funny. I've known zir way longer than you, but you two have a pretty special connection. At first, I really expected you two were gonna hook up. And I'm pretty sure ze would go for it. But you never have, have you?" She peers at you with those dark eyes. "Squally's not your type?"
I shake my head. "More than one moment I was tempted, and I'm certain ze would have 'gone for it,' but..." I'm about to give the "buddy's kid sister" argument, but it's too glib for this moment. "...but I suppose I need some sort of balance of power, to really make things work for me. Squall, when we first met, was so dependent. On everyone and everything. That was part of the appeal, of course, since I apparently have some deep-rooted Jedi-complex that I'll never understand, but it just wouldn't work."
Jojee does a quick little nod of agreement, "Ze's a hot mess. I'm glad you're zir captain. But hey... if you ever give in, I wouldn't be mad. Just so you know. I know it'd make zir day. Or week. Especially with Amy karking with zir head."
"Thank you for your permission, Jo," I say with a bit of laugh in my voice. "Think it's time for me to Push the Button now?"
I shrug. "Astromech, maybe?"
I need to have a talk with Ceric at some point, and take a minute to check in with Hosk. He can't be happy that I've brought an Imperial on board, even one that seems to be defecting.
You catch up to Hosk as he's milling about right in front of the quarters where he stowed Ceric. He's rolling a deathstick, but he doesn't smoke inside the ship. "Hey Lad." You're right, his dander's up.
"Sorry that I sprung this Imp on you, especially without warning. Kriff me if I really know what's going on, but if nothing else he's a bargaining chip."
"I don't like it, but I get it, Lad." He finishes his black paper roll of the stick, the puts it in his hard case, slips it into his left pocket, like always. "If Sark rolled him to us, then how is he a bargaining chip against that bastard?"
I shake my head. "I guess I'm just hoping against hope that we can get this whole karking thing sorted soon. Grabbing at straws, probably."
"Better than rolling over and taking it in the space heinie." Hosk says with a wry laugh. "It's just too raw, Lad. Babysitting this sleemo."
"I'll relieve you, Hosk. I need to talk to him, anyway."
I knock, then enter. "Ceric, we need to have a talk. I promise to be less awful to you this time. It's been a stressful few months, I'm afraid I'm not at my most personable." I'll pull out the chair and sit. "So, let's start from the beginning. Who are you, why are you going to the rebels, and why should they care?"
When you came in, Ceric was laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He sits up, scoots to the edge to talk to you. "No offense taken, Captain. I know this is unexpected. It is for me., I thought you were the one pulling me out of the Imperial Navy." He realizes he was rambling and takes a breath. "My name is Ceric Hawke. I'm a twenty two year old near-human. Near enough to join the Imperial Navy Officer Corps, at least. I was born a spacer, my dad was a merchant who traveled around mid-rim. My mom was one of his ports of call who handed me off when he came back around. I was on my second tour of duty when I went AWOL. I left because of what I saw." This is where his normally glib delivery falters a little, but he continues on. "Eight months ago, I was a captain. I led a detachment sent to a small moon to clear the way for a military power facility fortification. When we found a small tribe of indigenous species, I reported that they were there, and I was ordered to eliminate them."
He pauses, shaking his head a little. "I went up the chain, but all that did was get me reprimanded. In the end, I was relieved of duty, locked in the brig for a few months, then busted down to Lieutenant and assigned to The Sword of Destiny. The rest you know." He pauses for a minute, then admits, "I'd hope a trained officer would be valuable to the Rebels. I know a few details that could help, enough tactics to counterattack small units. Plus, I was a trainer. I'm no. Well, I'm no hero. But I want to help."
I nod, interested. He comes across as sincere. I pull out my datapad and find the picture of Sark in uniform. "Did you ever see this man aboard The Sword of Destiny? I know him as Sark."