[SWAW] Iyuta (16)

edited December 2014 in SWAW
At the Iyuta spaceport, Imperial Customs officers search the Profit Margin thoroughly for contraband. Of course, none is found, and your cover story is taken at face value. Amarath gets a few extra questions, but she shows her bounty hunter guild idents and claims she's on a ride-along with "her dear beloved and incompetent cousin", which she indicates is you. They buy it.

Mediocre docking facilities come steep, and you're warned to stay within the city. Otherwise, you're allowed into Takari without further incident. As your intel suggested, Takari is a small city on an undeveloped planet.

image
As you're walking along clean streets under the noonday suns, Hosk looks at the datasheet he picked up for Takari, griping, "Like all resort towns, the food and board prices are outrageous. I can't get back on the Profit soon enough, Lad."

Amarath-header
"Awwww," Amarath says in a condescending tone. "Is um homesick already? Maybe Little Fuzzy should've packed a lunch?" Hosk snarls, but doesn't fire back a reply.

Checking on the coordinates for the Rusty Bucket, you're coming up on it to your left. However, there is a temporary fence erected around what was once a building. It's now a burned out husk. There are signs erected that the site is closed for repairs.

image
Hosk is first to speak, pointing at the fence, "Is that the Rusty Bucket?"

Amarath-header
Amarath quips, "I guess they served some high grain. I can still smell the smoke." She taps her comm, "Hey there, lil Miss Onondb. Can you spool up any news on a recent fire?"

image
Squall comes on the comms, you can hear the smile in zir voice, "Well, Amy. Looks like some dining establishment was reported as burned down a week ago."
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Comments

  • Ladro Eyes

    Over the comm, "Squall, any reports of fatalities or serious injuries? Also, can you find us a local address for Chilla?"
  • image
    Squall comes on the comms, you can hear the smile in zir voice, "No fatalities reported, no. Public reports are really sparse, Captain. I can dig, but this is high security poodoo. It's risky. As for Chilla, looks like she is employed at another bar called The Giant Step. It's on Vark Street."
  • Ladro Eyes

    "No need to dig further, Squall. We'll head to The Giant Step and see what we find."

    ...and we do. A few wrong turns in the unfamiliar city, but we get there and head in.
  • The Giant Step is so named because the bar is built at a sub-basement level. So, the windows show the stairs leading down. Everyone knows you're coming. And the last step to the door is super long. Seriously, Hosk has to jump.

    You push open the door and there are maybe forty people here, customer and servers together. Only two female servers in the place, one's a Rodian, the other a human brunette in her late thirties.
  • Ladro Eyes

    I walk up to the human. "Excuse me. I'm looking to find Chilla? Can you point her out?"
  • She looks at you, a little surprised. "Oh." A beat, "Well, you found her. That's me." Still unsure, looking at you and Amarath, since Hosk headed straight for the bar. "Who are you?"
  • Ladro Eyes

    "I'm Ladro. I understand we have a mutual friend."
  • edited December 2014
    Chilla-header
    She nods, once. "Why don't you and your girlfriend grab a table? I'll get you menus right away."

    Amarath-header
    After she moves on to help some other customers, Amarath slips her flesh arm into the crook of yours, "Hear that, Ladro? I'm your girlfriend. It's my cover."
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Yes, dear." I look for a table in a less-crowded part of the establishment and take a seat. I'll take the moment before Chilla arrives with the menu to get a quick assessment of the room.
  • Read a Situation

    (Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 3, 3. Total: 7)
  • Who here is not what they seem?
  • Chilla's hesitation when you asked for her by name, it wasn't fear. She isn't used to that name, Ladro. It struck you right away, but thinking on it, you're sure about it now.
  • Ladro Eyes

    I whisper. "Time to focus down, Amy. Something's not right with 'Chilla'." I see that Hosk has eyes on us, of course, and the door as well.
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    She nods, "That hitch when you called her name, right? I thought maybe she might be scared she was caught. You think something else?"
  • Ladro Eyes

    I shake my head. "Took her a second to realize I was talking about her. Saw it in her eyes." I look toward the bar and 'absently' tug on one of the dreadlocks on the right side of my head, one of the signals Hosk and I have stumbled into over the years. Loosely translated, "Something's off here."
  • Hosk glances out the door, asking "Do we bail?"
  • Ladro Eyes

    I shake my head as if responding to something Amy said. "Not yet."
  • Hosk nods, subtly, turns to the bar again.

    Chilla-header
    Chilla arrives moments later, handing a datapad with the menu on it. "This has the menu. It's yours to keep." She slides into the seat beside Amarath, like she's being friendly. "There is also a copy of an old surveyor's map of the sewers. You'll need to travel outside the city to get to an access point. Do you have any questions?"
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Yes. Just one. I don't believe I caught your name? I'm pretty sure it's not Chilla."
  • Chilla-header
    Her mouth tightens for a moment. She answers, "Chilla's my cover. Trying to lay low. They, uh, burned down the Rusty Bucket trying to get me. My name's Hanna, but please. I could get sentenced to the spice mines of Kessel for my work. Okay?" She glances around once, trying to keep herself calm, but you see this is making her sweat.

  • Read a Person

    (Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 4, 4. Total: 9)
  • Is she telling the truth?
  • Her name is Hanna. The Rusty Bucket was burned down trying to get Chilla. She hasn't done anything to get her thrown in a spice mine.
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Great, Chilla. I'll take the... nerfburger, medium rare." I look at Amy, gambling on a connection we may not have yet. "Darling? What do you think?"
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    Amarath reaches over to run her flesh fingers over your hand, gently taking the datapad from you, glancing at it, "Bantha steak, charred. And Durosian Brandy. Please." She smirks at Chilla.

    Chilla gets up and heads out to get the order moving.
  • Ladro Eyes

    I look at Amarath. "So, what do you think? Setup or no? I'm thinking she's not our contact, but maybe she's a proxy Chilla set up to pass on the information after her cover was blown. That kind of risk, if I'm right, there's got to be a personal connection. Question is... trust the map or not?"
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    "This one's twisty. I don't trust any of them, lots of boys in white around, can't afford to kark it up." She muses for a second, "But the mission sounds kinda fun. And we did know it was in the sewers. So the dots connect there."
  • Ladro Eyes

    I nod, then continue at regular volume. "So, sweetie, where do you want to go for the honeymoon?" Keeping an eye out, but might as well wait for the food. I signal 'Chilla'. "Do you mind making that order to go? Amy's feeling frisky."
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath scoots her chair closer to you, "playing up" the frisky. She snakes her cybernetic hand down to your thigh and leans over to kiss you a few times. You can tell she's kriffing with you. Do you play along?

    Chilla-header
    "Sure, sure." Chilla says and heads back to the kitchen.

    Amarath-header
    "Oh lover! I want you to do everything to me! I can't wait to get you back to the hotel!" Amarath says as she continues kissing you.

    Hosk shakes his head in disbelief. But he's laughing a little, too. Chilla comes back with your food, in containers. You pay and you can go.
  • Ladro Eyes

    I play along a little. "Sweetie! We're in public... let's not make a scene. I can ravage you once we get back." Once we have the food, I'll thank Chilla/Hanna and head out.

    Amy and I will wait for Hosk's arrival. "Okay, thoughts? I'm inclined to go ahead, with extra caution."
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    Just before you make it out of the Giant Leap, Amarath pinches your space heinie and giggles. Once you get outside and ask for input, "Yeah. Let's do this."

    image
    Hosk gets caught up on what happened with Chilla, then says, "It's risky. We should be careful."

    Amarath-header
    "If you want to hide in the ship, I'm sure Ladro and I can take care of it.."

    image
    With a bit of sudden anger, Hosk growls, "Stop goading me! I said my piece, do what you will, Ladro."
  • edited December 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    "Enough! I'm going back to the Margin. I'll expect the two of you in my quarters to review the plans of the sewer and discuss your specific impressions of our friend 'Chilla.' When you get there, I expect you to have worked out your poodoo for at least long enough to get through this karking one-day job. Take your time, as long as it's not more than 20 minutes."

    I start walking, fast, toward the ship.
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    As you walk away, Amarath calls after you, "I was just kidding! I've got my game face on now! .... sithspit."
  • edited December 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    I keep walking. Straight to the ship. A few minutes after I get there, I've got the Communications Center plans laid over the map of the ancient sewer, Squall and Jojee standing by to join us, and three bites taken out of my nerfburger, which isn't bad, all things considering.
  • edited December 2014
    image
    Squall is standing close behind, a hand on your back, "That's a karking big sewer, Ladro."

    Hosk and Amarath come into the room. Hosk's ears are drooping a little with shame, but Amarath is not about to apologize, you know that.

    image
    "Sorry for earlier, Lad. I'm ready to go on this mission. I think we should go at night."

    Amarath-header
    "Why wait? If they're onto this Hanna girl already, the longer we wait, the longer we give them to prep. Let's do this!"
  • Ladro Eyes

    "We were warned to stay within the city limits, but it looks like all the possible entrances to the sewer complex are outside the current boundaries. Let's pick our top three entry points, then Hosk, Amy and I will split up, check the perimeter security at the point closest to each. We'll regroup here two hours before sunset. If the Rusty Bucket burned down a week ago, a few more hours shouldn't be too great a factor."
  • Let's skip ahead a bit. Sounds like your crew is Reading a Charged Situation here, right? Let's see some dice.
  • Read a Situation

    (Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 2, 2. Total: 5)
  • edited December 2014
    It's a couple hours before sundown. Hosk returns first, he reports that his entrance sits right on the edge of a set of barracks. You came in after him, right on time. Your entrance is near a new residential construction area that looks promising. Amarath hasn't come back yet, and her last report was half an hour ago.

    What do you do?
  • Ladro Eyes

    I contact her comm. Just a single ping to let her know I'm checking in, no voice traffic.
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    After a moment, Amarath comes back over comms, audio only. Her voice is quiet, muffled like she's huddled over it, "Sithspit, Ladro. That ping scared the poodoo out of me! Ran into some boys in white while I was scoping the entrance. They're using it as a vent port, so about every two minutes, a blast of heat and exhaust blast through. I talked my way past the Troopers a couple minutes ago and just took off. I can catch up in ten minutes."
  • Ladro Eyes

    "I guess we know where we're going in, then. Go to the entrance I was assigned, find an out of the way spot, and keep eyes on until Hosk and I get there with the equipment. Good work, Amy."
  • Amarath nods and heads out.

    Why don't you make a Methodical roll here?
  • Methodical

    (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 1, 1. Total: 4)
  • image
    "Alright, Lad. Once she has a head start, I'm ready to go."
  • Ladro Eyes

    It takes about 20 minutes to load the gear Alanna provided in satchels, then leave for the entrance to the ancient sewers.
  • You head out with Hosk to the south for the new construction. The place is set behind a perimeter fence. There are inert construction droids left lying in between frames of homes, just like before. Amarath has taken a lookout spot in one of the half-built homes. She gives you a wave as Squall points her out.

    Getting past the fence is easy enough. Did you snip some of the wires and walk through or jump over, Ladro?
  • Ladro Eyes

    Over. No need to leave any suspicious damage. We get past and wait for Amarath to join us.
  • edited December 2014
    Hosk takes a bit to get over, and once he hits the uneven ground on the other side, he grumbles about being too old for that kind of poodoo, but it was low and mostly to himself.

    Amarath comes down the side of the half-built building quickly. Turns out, she has a thin line spooled in her cyberarm and uses her thumb like an anchor, just drops down the line like some spider. Hosk stands up in time to catch the last bit, and before she walks up, he grunts a little in surprise, maybe he's a bit impressed. Amarath janders up with a cocky little grin, but doesn't say anything.

    The three of you head for the recently uncovered sewer entrance. It is about a forty foot climb down rubble and chunks of concrete, not impossible, but slow going. It's almost dark when you start walking down the long, dank and wet corridor that is filled with centuries old muck and mire from generations long dead.

    The corridors here are round, packed clay. It looks more like giant wormholes than anything hand-made. It is rather twisty as well, but luckily the map looks accurate.

    Amarath-header
    "I'm not picking up any Imp traffic down here. No monitors, no droids, nothing."
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Great. Keep monitoring, Amy. Everyone keep your eyes peeled, and not just for Imps. Who knows what could be down in these old tunnels." My blaster's out, but down. Just in case.
  • Amarath nods agreement and Hosk pops another glowrod. He's got his blaster in pistol-mode so he can light the way. Amarath moves ahead of the light, walking in the darkness ahead and relying on her cybernetic eye.

    The smells down here are something you don't soon want to repeat. The light causes little vermin to scurry away. You pass a group of hand-sized sightless lizards that freeze up.

    Suddenly, there's the quick light of blaster fire. Amarath opens up on something ahead of you. Hosk rushes forward, putting his glowrod right beside his blaster pistol's barrel so he sees what he's about to shoot.

    What do you do?
  • Ladro Eyes

    I do the same, moving left a bit because Hosk took right. Amy hasn't reported any Imp signal traffic, so I'm truthfully expecting something stranger than a Storm Trooper.
  • edited December 2014
    This is what Hosk's glowrod is lighting up, Ladro:
    carrion_crawler
    The creature is as big around as a man and three times as long. It is moving quick, and you see a tentacle shoot out to grab Amarath's left leg. She shoots the tentacle, but then a second one snatches her hand. She screams in pain and tries to pull away.

    What do you do?
  • Ladro Eyes

    What else? Doesn't look like it's up for negotiation, so I shoot it.




    Seize by Force

    (Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 3, 1. Total: 5)
  • Spending 1-bond each from Amy and Hosk to make that a 7
  • Taking definite hold of Amy's safety.
    Doing terrible harm.
  • You move in to help Amy pull away while Hosk tumbles over to fire at its side. The red and blue lights of your blasters fill the corridor with colors. You fire on it's maw as it tries to bite Amarath. She screams and dives away as soon as you blast the tentacle holding her. It lashes out with a tentacle across the back of your gun hand.

    And here's the thing. There's the force of the blow. You see that. But some slime on that kriffer, it is a numbing agent. Your hand feels, well, nothing.

    (take 1-Harm after armor)
  • Harm roll:
    (Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 6, 1. Total: 8)
  • You drop your blaster out of your numbed hand.
  • Ladro Eyes

    Well, this is going well. No sense in picking up the blaster, but I can use knives in my off-hand just fine, so one appears in my left hand from my sleeve. I back up.
  • As you back up, the monster turns to bite at Hosk. Hosk dives into the muck and mire to avoid it just barely. Amarath drops to her knees to try and pick up your blaster with her cybernetic hand, her flesh one hanging uselessly.

    Why don't you Act Under Fire here, Ladro?
  • Act Under Fire

    (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 6, 1. Total: 9)
  • Ladro Eyes

    Hosk and I have instincts and experience on our side.

    Spending 1-Bond for a 10
  • edited December 2014
    Knife in hand, you dash forward as Hosk distracts it with blaster shots along its flank. Your knife bites home at the side of its neck between two of its thicker plates. Greenish blood oozes and the creature snaps its head in sudden pain, throwing you against the hard ground (your armor protects you a bit there).

    Amarath fires her blaster over your head, hitting it in the right eye. Finally, with a rattling roar, the thing falls to the ground. Hosk and Amarath fire a couple extra shots, just to make sure.

    Amarath-header
    With disgust in her voice, Amarath grumbles, "That karking monster kriffed up my arm."
  • Ladro Eyes

    "And my hand. How are you, otherwise? Is the arm damaged, or is it just the numbness? You, Hosk? All your little furry bits intact?" Does the numbness seem to be getting better at all? Any pins and needles, or too soon?
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    Amarath flexes her left elbow, "Good thing I'm a rightie. It's cut and bleeding, but I don't feel it." She reaches over to a belt pouch and pulls out a gluestik and applies it to her wounds.

    image
    Hosk stands up, brushing much off the knee of his pants, "Gonna take a quarter my pay to clean my kriffing pants! But... I'm alright, Lad."
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Good work taking care of that... whatever it was. Let's head on toward the objective, since no one's too damaged to proceed. I'm not a shooter until this numbness wears off, so you two need to be extra alert. Sorry to be dead weight."
  • edited December 2014
    Amarath-header
    Amarath gives you a smart aleck smile, "Hey. Now you're a real captain, Ladro."
  • You continue on, sensation in your hand slowly coming back. After nearly an hour, you find thr point directly under the hot spot . Hosk pulls the device out of his pack, checks in with you.
  • Ladro Eyes

    I nod to Hosk. "Good to go. Everything as we expected?"
  • image
    After checking signals, "Yes, Lad. Checks out." He hands it you.
  • Ladro Eyes

    I'll take the listening device and work through the installation process, trusting Hosk and Amy to warn me if any Imps or tentacled monsters are coming our way. "Strange life," I say to no one in particular.
  • You plant the device and activate it without incident. Using the device's power, you get a signal from Squall.

    image
    "Captain! Glad we're back in touch, I've been trying to hail you. You need to find another way out, there are Imps in the construction site right now. Two squads came in fifteen minutes ago, walked around the site, then an officer showed up with a speeder."
  • edited December 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    "Okay, all eyes on the map. Looking for an exit not near known high concentrations of Imps. It's not going to be one of our top three, but make sure we have at least half a chance." I take a step back, make sure the camouflage is reasonably effective, in case we get followed through this labyrinth by chance.
  • edited December 2014
    image
    Hosk reminds you, "The east passage comes out to a set of barracks."

    image
    "I don't see any other entrances or exits that line up. We could maybe blow a hole in a weak spot..."

    Amarath-header
    Amarath cuts in with, "We could take the north one. Sure, there's a vent exhaust, but if we time it right, we can make it. Well, I don't know about stumpy, but maybe if he hauls it." Hosk grunts with annoyance.

    image
    "We could sit tight, wait for the troopers to move on."
  • Ladro Eyes

    "We can't count on them moving on, and if they come in, they're going to see that thing we killed and know something's up. North it is."
  • edited December 2014
    Hosk and Amarath wait for you to finish up with the comm device, then you head for the north. On your way, the tunnel gets warmer and warmer. You start to feel the air currents, timed like Amarath said. Every two minutes. It won't be easy, but if the distance is right, it isn't impossible.

    That's when you come across something unexpected. With Hosk bringing up the rear and Amy walking beside you, you're the first to spot it. It's the remains of a human. You move up closer to see it's a woman, she died several days ago, but she certainly isn't ancient.

    Amarath-header
    Amarath observes, "Sithspit, Ladro. That girl looks alot like "Hanna."

    What do you do?
  • Ladro Eyes

    "No time to look for another exit. If the other Hanna had the Comm Center plans and gave the Imps the three most-likely entrances, so be it. They'll still be expecting us to come back out the way we came because of the problems with the other two. Mission's burned in that case, though, we're just looking to escape with our skins whole and unincarcerated. So, let's get out. Start timing, Amy." On the comm, "Get ready for us to come in hot, Squall and Jo."
  • edited December 2014
    Jojee
    Over the comms, Jojee replies, "She's warmed up and ready to go, Cap. We'll get her off the ground shortly. Give the word when you want a pickup."

    image
    Hosk checks over the corpse, "She was shot, then bled out down here.". He pulls up a commlink recorder from the mud beside her body, "Looks like it's encoded. I think I know this one, though..."

    The recorder audio kicks in. "Cover blown Imps on my trail Wounded Hiding in sewers Double agent Long live the Roughnecks - Hill..." The recording ends suddenly.

    Amarath-header
    "Doesn't matter now. Bad luck for her, but we did the job, let's haul tail."

    Ladro, if you want to try and time the vent exhaust to avoid getting caught in heat blasts, I'm calling that an Act Under Fire.
  • Act Under Fire

    (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 5, 1. Total: 8)
  • You time it right, and Hosk books it, running faster than Amy to get clear of the next venting. The tunnel has regular iris-like vent closures that move the air through a couple different passageways. In the tumult and excitement, someone gets separated from the others. Who is it, Ladro?
  • Ladro Eyes

    It's me. I zig when Hosk and Amy zag and suddenly they're nowhere to be seen.
  • You rush out of the tunnel onto the soft, wet ground outside and barely move aside as the rush of steam blasts out of it. The heat is enough to make you sweat in seconds. You hear Jojee over the comms.

    Jojee
    "Cap! Where are you? I've got Hosk and Amy, they said you were right with them! Please tell me you're out there!"
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Right outside the vent. Tell me which direction to run."
  • edited December 2014
    Jojee
    "Head up! Squally says you're at one of the vents, she's looking. Climb up, and I'll get you."

    The area where you are is a patch of concrete in the side of a hill. Above and behind you is the main electricity factory for the settlement.
  • Ladro Eyes

    Jojee says up. I go up, trying to stay away from the perimeter of the power plant. "Moving up. I'm close to the power plant."
  • edited December 2014
    In moments, the Profit Margin comes into view, and you see Hosk standing by the boarding ramp, waving to you, offering a hand. A short jump across and you're aboard.

    Where do you go on the ship and what do you do?
  • Ladro Eyes

    Heading for the Captain's chair. "Hosk, get to the turret, just in case." Once I'm in the chair, ready to copilot for Jojee, "Jo, get us out of here. I don't care where right now. Cheapest jump to the least likely spot, so we can regroup. Don't care if it's the middle of nowhere."
  • edited December 2014
    The Profit Margin is moving hard. You already see movement over near the spaceport. As soon as you sit, Jojee glances over.

    Jojee
    "What's gone wrong? We got clearance to go, everything looked fine up top."

    Amarath-header
    Amarath comes over the ship's comms, "Hey Squall, let's keep eyes out for trackers or anyone tailing us, yeah? I don't want to lead them where they want to go, if that's their karking plan."
  • Ladro Eyes

    Over the comm. "Jojee, Squall, mission was blown before we got here. Double agent." Or is that an agent that was a double? "Evade, hide, obfuscate, but get us off this rock." I flip the switch to turn off Amy's access to ship's comms.
  • Jojee
    Jojee nods, focusing on flying, "I'm going to play it cool as long as they do, Cap. The moment I feel a noose, I'll rabbit."

    Hosk checks in from the turret.

    image
    Over the comms, "There are no trackers on us, but I'm doing another sweep."

    In moments, you're breaking atmo and getting off Iyuta and into space. That's when you pick up a pair of blips on the radar. Two ships, about the size of the Margin. They're not closing fast, but following behind.

    What do you do?
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Jo, you're clocking our friends? Let me know what you need to get us clear." Over the comm. "Squall, Hosk, company behind us, but not close. Be ready."
  • Jojee
    Jojee checks the radar, "Yeah. We can pick a fight now with a couple of sucker punches in, or see if they try to follow our hyperspace coordinates."

    image
    From the turret, Hosk says, "I've got a bead on the leader. They aren't TIEs, they don't even look Imperial."
  • Ladro Eyes

    Interesting that they're not Imp vessels, but they're in pursuit. "We're going to jump. Stand ready if they manage to follow."
  • Jojee
    Jojee glances over, "I'm going to plot in a dummy course, don't want to lead them back to Devaron or Gristone, right?"
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Right. Lead 'em astray, Jo."
  • Jojee consults with Squall on a couple coordinates, then punches them in and hits the red button. The Profit Margin lurches into hyperspace, leaving Iyuta and the mission behind.

    Jojee
    "We're headed to Yag'Dhul. It's only a few hours away."

    image
    Squall interrupts with, "The Givin are amazing mathematicians, Captain. Most of my hyperspace calcs are cribbed from their work! Hey Captain, shouldn't you come to the infirmary and let me take a look at you? Amy said you were hit by that tentacled monster, too." That gets a curious look from Jojee.
  • Ladro Eyes

    I give Jojee a shrug, like "Hey, tentacled monsters are just part of the job." "Soon, Squall." Over ship's comm. "Hosk, Squall, Amarath, please join Jojee and me in the cockpit soonest."
  • Hosk unbuckles himself from the turret and joins you right away, while Amarath and Squall come along a minute later. Amarath has fresh bandages on her arm, which she's moving now. Squall seems pretty concerned about her. And you, of course. You, too.
  • edited December 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    "Thanks. And Amy, I'm sorry you got hurt. So, it looks to me from the evidence that the mission was over before it started. Our intel was compromised by an Imperial double agent who took the place of our contact. I take the blame for not seeing that. I was so focused on the plan that I failed to take into account the discrepancies, to pay attention to the intangibles on the ground instead of just the practical angles. If there's a financial hit, I'll shoulder it myself, somehow."

    I clear my throat. "However, we all need to be better. Hosk, instead of general 'I don't like this' caution, I need specifics. Don't just tell me I'm missing something, help me figure out what I'm missing." I turn to Amy. "Amy, as long as you're with us, you need to do the same, but in the other direction. Don't just tell me you're ready to go. Tell my why you're confident."

    "Squall and Jojee, thank you for pulling us out. You did your jobs. Quite well. I'm sure that you'll be on the other end of this speech at some point, though, so might as well assume I just said something like that to each of you and get mad at me now, if you're going to."

    I turn back to Amarath. "And Amy, if you want to make tactical suggestions, make them to me unless we're taking fire or I'm out of commission. You sounded suspiciously like you were telling my engineer what to do."
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