Rebel Dawn [Dorn Force]

[Alexander Tur'enne]

Apparently, having escaped from a veritable army of Stormtroopers, he was about to commit suicide by climbing into a vehicle with a dangerous loose nut behind the wheel. Words danced around in his mind, forming into scathing sarcasms, but he stayed his tongue; a heavy sigh sagged his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, clambering with a groan of effort into the speeder. His shoulder ached, furiously - Glayde owed him one, when they got out of this. Assuming he didn't die from his injuries before then, mind.

He allowed himself a lingering look back in the direction of the building he'd escaped from. It had become his prison of late; before that it hardly been a homely place, but it had been a home, none the less. It had been the only life he'd known for years; it had been the -

His eyes narrowed. Burn in hell, Frohad, he muttered in his mind. He'd been freed from that; freed by his sister, and by the man lying barely conscious on the seats behind him. Maybe Glayde wouldn't owe him one after all. He sighed, tore his eyes away, and flipped his gaze towards Charlotte, busily prepping the speeder for motion. He leaned over, gently planting a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks for coming for me, sis."

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

As soon as Frohad had been enough behind them, the helmet had been practically torn off of her... It was bad enough they were driving late at night, two of them in full Infiltrator gear, with two blaster carbines, and one of them badly injured. Charles figured it was best she didn't draw any other unwanted attention from any patrolling authorities by keeping the helmet on.

She had expected her brother to start chatting up again as they were on their way, she hadn't expected the peck on the cheek with a thanks. "Yeah, well... you can thank the Major when he gets better." If... her mind chimed in. "The whole op was practically a secret from me, didn't know who we were bailing out of that place until your door opened up. I was just doing my job. Still am."

A sidelong glance was cast over at Xander. When she spoke again she attempted to make her tone slightly warmer in nature, though only succeeded in taking the edge off. "But... you're welcome anyway. I guess."

We're not done. The reminder came loud and clear into the forethought of her mind. She had to get Glayde somewhere he could be treated, and fast. Problem was, no hospital in their right mind would tend to such a wound without asking a drukload of questions. Questions like that would lead to her seeing Stormtroopers again a lot faster than she wanted.

There was only one other place to go... and now all that was left was for Charles to hope they hadn't moved locations.

[Alexander Tur'enne]

For a moment, Xander contemplated pretending that her frustration stemmed from that secret: anger directed at her Commanding Officer for not having informed her that it was her own brother that they were trying to save. But he knew better; even if he hadn't, the evidence made it obvious that her anger was directed as much at him as anyone else. Glayde had made a good call, not keeping her informed: she'd probably never had come if she knew.

Much as it tallied with his expectations, the realisation that the fact drove home crushed his insides none the less. Sure, things had been rough between them when they'd parted, but years had passed since then. Xander was just happy to learn that she was alive - and thriving, it seemed. Did she not feel the same?

His gut twisted. Had she really grown to hate him that much?

With that train of thought speeding through his mind, his prison back at Frohad didn't seem so bad after all. But now wasn't the time to dwell; not to cultivate those kind of notions. Instead, he fought his mind into some kind of neutral, objective set, eyes focussed squarely on the view ahead. "So," he said, as calmly as he could. I just became a fugative from the Empire. What the frak was I thinking? "What happens now?"

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

"Now?" Her eyes glanced at him again before a small motion with her head was made towards the back seat. "Now we get help for him."

The place Charlotte was thinking of was underground, literally. It had been one of he compounds belonging to the Corellian resistance, probably part of the actual Rebellion by now. Getting to the location would be easy enough... but getting there without being seen was another issue entirely. Especially with the spectacular leaving of Frohad they had just conducted.

Though one hour, a change in speeder, and several creative routes later the trio arrived at what appeared to be nothing but a large group of abandoned warehouses in an overall slummy industrial center that was filled with similar. It only took one rather severe look to Xander to get her point across that he'd be waiting in the speeder along with the wounded Major.

The buildings themselves were as vivid in her memory as they had been when she had once called the area home. The door to one of the warehouses was slid open slowly, the inside just as empty as anyone would expect it to be and Charles let a small sigh leave her. So far, just like old times.

Her footsteps, as light as they were, couldn't help but echo softly as she made her way to a console that rested against a wall next to another door inside. The lack of dust on the actual pad brought a small smile to her lips as she keyed in a code she could only hope was still active.

The silence that followed lasted far too long for her liking.

She was about to give up, head swimming with what the frell do I do now?? when the comm next to the panel crackled with static before a voice addressed her.

"You better start explainin' where you got that code. Turrets are locked on to ya so you best start talkin."

Charles frowned slightly before shaking her head. "Visuals down again, Arkada?"

There was another lingering pause. "No fah'kin way... You aint Charlie Tur'enne. She's been dead goin on four years now."

"You really think the Empire could down me for good?"

"Nah, I always figured you'd go and come back from the dead if it still was abouts and well... You know, you got some nerve showin up in the dead o' night too!"

"Stop stalling. I got a man down out here. The doc still around?"

"Yeah yeah, hang on, kid. Sendin a team up right now."

"Thanks."

"They find you in a stormy suit though and they aint gonna be afraid to put you down though. Don't matter if you were one of us or not."

Charles laughed slightly. "Don't think you have to worry about that."

A few more agonizing seconds passed until the door opened, Charles was at least somewhat comforted to see the men that came through had blasters at the ready in case it was some sort of set up. A quick show of identification and she was leading them to the speeder outside. Two men carefully removed Glayde from the speeder, one of them commenting they'd seen worse in an attempt to provide some form of comfort to his teammate.

She began to follow them, determined to make sure the Major pulled through okay. It was a strange feeling to be seeing and instantly a part of the group she hadn't seen for several years. Though not as strange as it was being anywhere even near the brother she hadn't seen in an even longer time, however. Charles glanced over her shoulder at Alexander who seemed rather dumbfounded by everything. With Glayde's life now in the hands of those she trusted she couldn't help but let the full realization of what her brother must be going through slowly seep into her mind.

"Hey, Xan... c'mon. If I remember correctly there's even a bar down there. You and I have some catching up to do over an ale or two, I think. Promise I won't hit you." She smirked, winked, and without waiting for a reply returned to following the group into the underground encampment.

[Alexander Tur'enne]

So, this was the Rebellion: hidden in a location so text book that it went beyond mere cliché. It wasn't much to look at; neither were the soldiers that the building Lottie had entered disgorged, swarming over to secure the speeder, him, and their new patient. By contrast, Imperial Stormtroopers were far more impressive, far more intimidating, and far better equipped and funded as well. He noted as the soldiers moved around him that many of them were carrying Frohad weapons; no doubt raided from a supply shipment en route to the Starport. He'd heard the reports while at work, but had mostly ignored them for fear of drawing attention to himself, lest he appear too pleased that Frohad resources had wound up in the right hands.

It seemed odd seeing those hands pointing those guns at him, mind. Not that he hadn't already begun to grow used to it over the course of the day.

When Lottie spoke, the edge from earlier had gone from her voice, and for a brief moment Xander allowed himself to hope that forgiveness for the past four years had been earned, finally. But there was no such luck; probably just a pity routine, to allow him to regain his strength and composure before she lashed out at him with her usual scathing onslaught. Wouldn't take long; should enjoy this while I can, he mused.

"Yeah," he threw back, flashing her a smile that was almost painfully forced. As she turned away, he heaved out a sigh, and extracted himself from the speeder with far more effort than it should have taken, the weight of the galaxy pressing down on his shoulders. Despite this, he trudged along in her wake, symbolially taking those first few steps that would lean him down into the equally symboli "Corellian underground".

With resignation, he sighed. "I'm right behind you, Charlotte."