The Entrepreneur/Ropagi.

[NeuroMortis]

Events unfolding before this moment should be considered by clicking here. (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?threadid=18905)

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A faint flashing from an LCD the only movement in the room, the Entrepreneur maintained her inner peace.

Then, the soft voice of Fess, the OSI of the Entrepreneur filtered through the stillness of the cabin.

“Mister Andrys?”

Silence.

“Mister Andrys, the change you requested I inform you of has occurred.”

Silence. A mild stirring from the inert body of Garet Andrys on a too comfortable couch.

“Mister Andrys, there has been a sharp decline in the readings from the Medbay’s life support system. In fact, it is no longer functional.”

[Garet Andrys]

Garet opened his eyes, alert, heart pounding. "What?"

"Mister Andrys, you asked me to inform you if there was a decline in the Medbay's life support system. The AutoDoc is no longer responding at all."

"Dammit."

Garet sat up, feet narrowly missing the half-drained glass of beyond green he'd somehow managed to place on the floor.

"Stupid, Andrys."

He tried to get up, and swayed slightly. Stupid, stupid, stupid... stupid, getting drunk when you still have a patient.

"Nakadai, I have to get to the medibay, something's happened to Wine --"

He stopped, staring at the corridor, mute.

[Ilsid Rector]

::The Artificer, having reached the edge of the Coruscant system, blinks into hyperspace, and is gone.
The message has been dispatched, along with one other, and Ilsid considers a star map, staring silently at the system in which the worthless planet of Ropagi spins. He speaks aloud to himself, as is his habit::

Ropagi. Home of the intellectually effete.
As you would say, my new friend, quite the party rock.

::He laughs softly. It is a cruel, unpleasant sound, as he relaxes into the space where he belongs::

But well chosen... well chosen.

::He taps a key, and the star map zooms, twists, and illuminates with splotches of color::

Just outside of her Ladyship's established domain, in a place quite remote and unwatched. Quite remote indeed...

::He lapses into silence, staring darkly into the holo-map, which he rotates periodically::

And from there, where, should you survive? Directly to Koda? Under the nose of the proud Imperial fleet? A bold maneuver. Will you pass Bryx, and dare the ire of the Sith?

::Something approaching irony creeps into his voice::

What are your intentions, with your little rag-tag band, I wonder. Yes... I do wonder. You would seem to serve only yourselves, and your own pointless avarice... but appearances are deceiving, my young friend, something you no doubt hold close to your heart.

::He rotates the map, and zooms into a small system in the heart of a deep red blotch::

Koda is not some jewel adrift in the darkness to be polished and set in a ring upon the finger of its finder. Not by you... Not by you.

::He clicks off the map, and stares once more into the cold void, the hard smears of distorted starlight doing little to illuminate the darkness beneath his brows::

Appearances. Quite deceiving indeed.

[Wine Marisinthe]

Garet springs from his seat, stumbles in the strange environs. Spins, heading for the Medbay.

Stops short.

Suddenly startled, a flash of terror immediately steeled over--the man who spoke through time now speechless.

The AI speaks again, stating the obvious, making it real.

"The subject is directly in front of you, Mister Andrys."

The lights become brighter, and the stinging in my eyes intensifies...

[Garet Andrys]

Garet couldn't read her expression. Nakadai had described her as dangerous... unstable.

He was still suffering from the effects of the alchohol on a physical level, but his mind was very, very clear as he gazed at the most dangerous person in the room.

Wine. The pretty one.

"Hello." His voice was as calm as he could manage. "You seem to be doing better."

[NeuroMortis]

Nak stirred, awoke, sat up, and assessed.

She stood in her underclothing, still dripping bacta solution, squinting slightly—

“Fess, lights to fifty.”

They dimmed.

Garet stood halfway between himself and Wine, speaking softly to her.

Which was probably a good idea.

Because she seemed…off.

[Wine Marisinthe]

(You seem to be doing better.)

Soothespeak.

The other surfaces from slumber and speaks as he sits up.

Can see again.

We’re moving. Traveling. Away.

I’m….wet…

“Onboard illumination at fifty percent.”

A woman’s voice…a woman’s…no.

Artificial.

They stare.

Are they artificial?

Do I still dream?

"..Tzerace???"

[NeuroMortis]

The priest.

Bizarre, her standing there like that, ends of her hair dripping, body soaked...and absolutely nothing sexy about her...

Well, okay, maybe a little bit, but--

The Defel crept in behind her, and he suddenly had a very bad feeling about this...

[Sladggrlok]

Sladg stirred on the soft cushion of the bunk.

Much too soft, though it had compressed rather a great deal under his increased weight.

He slipped from the bed, and dropped to the floor.

It was good to move normally again.

He tapped the light panel, bringing the room lights up to normal levels. He took a moment to unruffle his fur from it's sleep marks, and consider himself in the mirror.

His large, mutlicolored irises glinted brightly back at him, and watched his reflection blink. It was rare that he got to see himself like this, anymore.

For a moment he was homesick, but he knew it was futile to dwell on such things. It would only distract him from the matter at hand, and that could kill him.

He set the gravity controls to slowly return to ship normal, and went about stretching his muscles.

Once the gravity was back to the human standard, he slipped into the corridor.

He passed the medibay to see how the Dark-hair was doing.

Only to find the Bacta tank quite empy, and a trail of moist footprints leading down the corridor.

So he followed them.

He paused, some distance behind Wine, considering her back, and the two humans who now stared at her.

Sladg took them in first.

They were oddly tense, for being with one who was a trusted companion. Their eyes flicked from her to one another, and both looked ready to move.

Wine herself was standing very still, half dressed (which meant little to the Defel). Her back was poised, but relaxed. She rocked on her feet slightly.
Perhaps she was still in the other-place and that was why the other two were so wary.

Tzerace??

That name. It is not the first time she had spoken it around Sladg. It had been murmured on the strut, as she drifted back and forth between worlds.
She was indeed still in the other-place, though returning.

She was blocking the doorway, so Sladg simply spoke from where he was.

"No, Dark-hair. He is in the other-place. You are on Mr. Nakadai's ship. It is good to see you are well."

[Wine Marisinthe]

I remember you.

I hear him as he presses past the reeds.

Softly he walks, so softly, a predator's walk.

He does not hunt this day.

Wait

Not me.

The marsh is growing firm now beneath my feet.

(...Mister Nakadai's ship...it is good...)

The men here, they do hunt.

I am not the prey.

They fear for me.

They...

(you are doing well)

"I'm...doing better."

Smile.

Feels forced.

But it is alright.

They need that.

They need to die.

...?

They need to die to this fear of the unknown.

"Oh...I understand. Each man must die."

To die to fear is to embrace possibility

"Death releases us from possibility of failure, for failure does not exist without fear."

Deepblue eyes meet one man, then another.

They understand.

They have to.

[NeuroMortis]

Nakadai balked.

She stood still, regarding them, not acknowledging the solution stippling her eyelids, her lips.

And then she spoke of death.

So Nakadai thought rather quickly of how to get from where he was to a port of safety from which he might discourage the murder of his new crew and himself.

He found that he could not fully comprehend the situation, let alone dissuade it through force.

Therefore, he did what came naturally.

"Honey, killing the good guys is a bad idea."

[Garet Andrys]

"I'm... doing better."

Garet relaxed slightly, opened his mouth to speak --


"Oh... I understand. Each man must die."

Tension returned tenfold.


"Death releases us from possibility of failure, for failure does not exist without fear."

Doing better my ass. She's flipped.

Everyone looked at her for a beat, then Nakadai spoke:


"Honey, killing the good guys is a bad idea."

Garet agreed wholeheartedly, but didn't know if it would get through to her.

The problem, he suspected, was that Wine was not wholly there. She was talking to them, obviously, but to someone else as well... someone they didn't know anything about.

New Tacitc. Make the conversation less visceral, and more metaphysical.

"Do you really believe that? That failure does not exist without fear? Because failure is a programmed part of biology, an innate condition of all cellular life, and the mechanics of failure have no emotion attached to it at all."

It didn't matter that his body was dulled by drink -- even in peak physical condition, there was no way he would be able to take Wine down. Maybe he'd be able to talk her down. Or maybe he might be able to preoccupy her long enough for someone else to come up with a better idea.

As Garet watched the most dangerous one in the room ponder the metaphysics of murder, he suddenly remembered why, years ago, he decided to stop practicing medicine.

[Sladggrlok]

She stirred, as the Defel's rough voice drew her closer to the normal plane of living.

Sladg's concern faded, as she seemed to grow more grounded.

Her talk of death was not surprising.
Often, when the traveller returned, they brought wisdom with them, and often it was not straight but curved.

As such, he did not take the comment literally.

The other humans did not understand.

He was at a loss. How could they not know of these things?
Did not their people travel to the other-place?

He closed the space between himself and the Traveller, still moving softly, respectful of her state.
It had been many years since he had visited the other-place, himself, and she reminded him of his last journey, the one that sent him seeking.

Perhaps she spoke of detachment, of death to clinging to this place, which was transient.

"You misundestand, Nakadai, as do you Garet, nor do you speak correctly. She does not speak straight."

He made a line with his hand.
He had never put this kind of thing into Basic before and it was difficult to speak in a way that would be easy for them to understand. Apparently they knew nothing of the other-place.

"I suspect she means we must all die to this place, because it weighs us down with fears and binds us to itself, and it is not all that is."

[Wine Marisinthe]

They spoke.

They all spoke, in turn.

None of it mattered.

Confusion. Fear. Frustration.

These mattered.

"Fear must be put to death," she echoed Tzerace as he spoke, the mind-words projected to her heart and will. "That we may live deliberately."

The one behind approached.

He did not fear.

He spoke words that meant nothing but that they did not fear.

And as he approached, she let allowed her mind to wander, over the not-sky to the ceiling, over the not-wind to the recirculating oxygen supply, over the not-marsh to the terrain of the cabin, and then she saw him.

The Destroyer.

Standing among them, ruined carcasses, wreckage, fires, oblivion from his hands, his eyes and ohmyGodthesouls--

Wine.

--tormentedscreamingweepingrage--

Wine.

---encroachingblacksuffocatingalland

her body

locked,

mind reaching to defend,

seeking refuge,

preparing,

harnessing

rigid musculature and the snapping in the air heat--

"Warning. Biochemical increase within main cabin. Sensors detect possible threat to life systems functionality in areas C-3 through C-5."

--electricyouwillNOTstealthislifeawayasIbreatheyou

will

NOT--

Wine.

...

...

...

In.

...

Out.

...

...something...

...my eyes...

...

The stones, Wine. How many do you see?

...

...Nakadai.

Andrys.

The Shadow...

"Three. Three of you, of them. You."

My face, wet.

Bittersalt moisture on the tongue.

Three of them. Good. Keep those three before you, Wine. Keep them aloft. No matter the distraction, keep them aloft.

I'm...I'm naked. Nearly.

Wet.

Remember, Wine. The stones.

Yes.

...the ship...

...

"...I'm on your ship, Nakadai."

He looks relieved.

I let myself slip down to the coolness of the floor, softly--

"...Garet...You spoke to me...pulled a lot of crap out from places it didn't fit."

My smile isn't as forced now.

Tired, but real.

And you--you're behind me, stooping already in your odd, alien concern--

"..and I don't know your name, so I can't thank you until you tell me."

[Sladggrlok]

She moved closer, he saw her come down, as she reacted to their presence for a moment.

Then the crisis arrived, which Sladg had hoped would not come.

Some darkness had followed the dark-hair through her journey, and settled on her like a cloud.

She fought it, in a way that was her, and was not.

She went rigid, mouth working wordlessly, feet not-quite-maybe touching the floor, and Sladg felt the heat and power crackle along his fur.

He stood his ground, unsure of what she might do-

And then it was gone, and she dropped to the soft carpet, tears staining her face.

Her body was soft now, relaxed, natural, and her face changed in a way that reflected it was unmeditated, genuine.

The Defel sat down softly next to the returned survivor, gently brushed the stray lock of dark hair out of her eye, as he had seen her do before.

His baleful red eyes blinked at her for a moment before he responded.

"I am Sladggrlok. You, I believe, are Wine, Dark-hair, Survivor, Traveller, with whom i climbed from the wreckage. You also must eat now, and then rest. Do i err?"

[Garet Andrys]

Garet relaxed. Wine seemed to be returning to reality... or this one, at any rate, if he could make any sense of Sladg's assertions.

"You're covered in bacta. That's why you're wet," he said. "I put you in the AutoDoc to speed your recovery."

He looked at Nakadai. "She could probably do with a fresh change of clothes."

He hesitated. "And, since I've already brought it up, so could I..."

[NeuroMortis]

“….ah, yeah. Clothes. Right.”

Deep in thought, he finally moved off toward storage two, his mind still replaying the events of the last few minutes.

He keyed in the code.

“Fess. there’s something I need you to do.”

The door slid closed behind.

[Wine Marisinthe]

“It’s warm in here.”

I need to stretch out. Feel like my entire body is in a state of angry atrophy.

Legs splayed, leaning forward, press my cheek to the floor. Actually hurts.

Listen to the low rumble of the ship.

They’re waiting for me to say something.

I pull in, legs tucked, wrap arms around knees.

“Sorry. I took too long—you really shouldn’t have come back for me.”

Of course, I would have done the same thing.

“But I’m glad you did.”

Head feels full of fluids. Wouldn’t surprise me.

“…so…how far out are we?”

The computer answers for them.

“Two minutes ago we entered the Kira Sector. At our current velocity we are approximately fourteen minutes from the Ropagi system.”

Kira Sector…

“We’re still going to Ropagi?”

Nakadai isn’t back yet.

They’re not sure why I’m asking.

“Computer, is Ropagi our destination?”

“You may call me Fess, an abbreviated acronym for Freeform Logic And Wisdom Lucid Estimation Sentience System.”

…okay.

“Fess, is Ropagi our destination?”

Silence.

“Fess—“

“Negative. Ropagi is not our primary destination.”

Andrys hides his concern well. Sladg seems to be waiting.

Okay…

“Fess, where is our primary destination?”

Silence.

Andrys inhales to speak, but:



“I have not received that information.”

[Garet Andrys]

"I think our primary destination will be Koda," Andrys said.

He looked up towards the direction of the bridge, politely turning away from Wine's state of undress.

"Eventually, anyway. Although... I don't know if we plan to make any stops before then."

He paused.

"Actually, to be quite honest, I still don't know exactly what we're doing. Did he give you the same spiel he gave us?"

[NeuroMortis]

“I didn’t give her a spiel.”

Nakadai re-entered, offering an armful of clothing first to Garet, then keeping his eyes while handing the remainder to Wine. “Didn’t have to.”

He met the Defel’s gaze, genuinely apologetic.

“Sorry Sladg...don’t really have anything in your size…we can pick something up in a few minutes.”

[Wine Marisinthe]

The clothing will fit.

What there is of it.

I give him a look to let him know his tastes are somehow not surprising.

He won’t meet my eyes.

???

“Nak..?”

He blinks a few times.

The smile.

Eyebrows raised.

Not a word spoken.

But he meets my eyes and

(regrets it)

then I know.

I look to the clothing.

“…I’ll go…”

Damn you, Nak. Why?

“…Do I have a room?”

Of course—only the faintest hesitation. He plays it as though surprised I would ask.

“No, you get to stay topside.”

A wink. Grin. Charm. Hide.

“Straight through there, second unit.”

I feel myself returning the lying-face and follow it up with mental castigation.

It’s only because I’m too tired and too hungry to deal with this right now.

You want me to prove myself?

Fine.

Again?

Fine.

[Sladggrlok]

Sladg watched Wine recover, stretch, feel her way into her body again.

"Wine, why should i have not gone back for you? We are partners. You ensured that we were able to escape. I ensured that you would also have what you made possible."

Wine simply gave a smile-nod, now concerned with other things.

He followed her eyes to Nakadai.

Sladg gave a barking laugh.
"Nakadai, I do not wear clothing. If i went into the Nebulae unclothed, i do not require it elsewhere."

He watched the exchange between Wine and Nakadai, absorbing the cues they sent each other, the fronts they presented as both slipped back into their respective rituals.

He would have to ask Garet later about what some of them meant, and what he thought the nature of their relationship was.
One often had to be rather curved with humans.


As Wine stood to go and put on the clothes that Nakadai had provided, Sladg spoke again.

"There are certain things that must now be done. The first is to establish where we are now headed, if Ropagi is not that place. The second is to eat. The third is to be informed on the full nature of this venture, and our roles in it. Are we in agreement?"

[NeuroMortis]

“Kira sector, Ropagi system."

She emerged fluid from hyperspace into sublight, easing into the yellow-white hue of Ropagi, the system’s sun.

Ropagi II was the primary planet in the system, comprised of several land masses begrudgingly released from the sea to sit low and weighted in the temperate waters, the most populated connected by a system of monorails.

The populace subsided in a regular climate hanging in the mid twenties centigrade; there was little variance in the clime, as no parcel of land upon the planet rose above 60 feet over sea level.

The Entrepreneur, still approaching from the outer rim of the system, caught the sunrise of the Ropagian sun eclipsing the sphere until the deeper hues of blue and gold sparkled across its umbra.

A tranquil world.

Nakadai watched her approach gently across the starboard vector, banking the ship to rendezvous with the planet’s orbit.

“Hold her close, Fess.” He stood, stretching.

“Maintaining true course.”

“Thanks.”

The cabin door slid to the lee as he exited—then stopped, speaking softly.

“Fess, use the HSI from here on out. I don’t care how big it is, keep me informed.”

“Affirmative.”

He exited.

Stepped back in.

“Patch into any FSTs planetside you can find a frequency for—give me a roster of every PoE request and docking status within the last 36 hours.”

“Affirmative.”

Nakadai left once more, making his way to the central cabin where Sladg, Garet and Wine sat observing the holomap of the planet surface.

He stood among them, staring into the rotating image.

“Thanks.”

He referred to the break they allowed him, that he might guide the ship into her proper coordinates and angle of approach, which he meant to perform manually.

Without expecting a response, he allowed only a slight moment before continuing.

“I didn’t tell Fess because I wasn’t sure if she’d been compromised until I ran the Fab2010, and then I ran BlindSide. Once I was sure she was under wraps, I decided to just finish it myself—nothing between here and where we’re going is worth leaving a tail.”

He moved around the holomap.

“I was compromised on Coruscant. No way around it. I believe it occurred when I contacted my source out of the system to hook up for this endeavor. Something leaked between here and there—or just there. Which is why we’re here. Fess, bring up Philius’ Roost.”

The planet zoomed in—but not to its surface. The hologram continued rotating until an object could be seen coming up across her lower parallel.

“There.”

The object grew larger, clearer.

Nakadai smirked.

“Now, that’s no moon. It’s a space station.”

Indeed it was.

“Might as well be the moon. Thing’s huge, 5700 meters point to point of orbiting junk—she’s the getaway for all the pseudointellectuals who live on the surface that need to impress passers-by with their own brands of psychobabble. It’s a melting pot for guys who love mincing words—and guys who work at being lazy.”

He took them all in.

“The contact who fell through, or might have fallen through, has a date with yours truly in about 4 hours. If said contact hasn’t fallen to unfortunate circumstances, it’s a safe bet they will in the near future, if the events unfolding at the Nebulae weren’t pure coincidence or just a bunch of bored joyriders who felt like trashing a high profile club.”

He shrugged.

“If said contact has set me up, chances are the last place they’ll expect me to go is here, because it’s pretty damned obvious.”

He grinned.

“I mean, come on, who in their right mind would stick their head in the lion’s mouth after it’s bitten their—“

“We are receiving two short range transmissions. One from the station orbiting the planet Ropagi Two, the other from the surface. Please advise.”

Nak took a seat, steepling his fingers.

“Patch them through—planetside first, please.”

A moment, then the transmission filtered into the cabin.

“Freighter NK-8311X, this is Ropagian Port of Authority, please transmit Port of Entry authorization or state your business.”

“Freighter to Port of Authority, visit for pleasure only to Philius Roost. Am transmitting current ship’s registry and manifest.”

A short pause. Nakadai hummed something to himself.

Then:

“Registry cleared. Welcome to Ropagian space, enjoy your recreation, Ambassador.”

Nak mouthed Ambassador, breathing on his knuckles.

It really was that easy when you had money.

“Patch through the Roost, Fess.”

A short crackle.

“Freighter NK-8311X, we have received clearance for your rendezvous from planetside authority. You may proceed. Welcome to Philius’ Roost, your mind apart from your life.”

Nakadai began a motion with his hand that turned into covering a mock cough. He clapped his hands together.

“Alright, that’s out of the way, sooooo…”

He moved to the bar.

“Fire away,” removing a light green bottle. “Whattaya wanna know?”

[Sladggrlok]

Once Nakadai had left to take care of business, and Wine had left to get 'clean' and change clothes, Sladg and Garet were left to themselves for a bit.

Sladg would have liked to talk, but Garet seemed not to be interested.

He sat looking at something that was not in the room.

So, Sladg instead raided the ship's Galley.

It took him a while to find what he was looking for, but in the end, he did.

Nakadai's stasis compartment.

It was large. Very large.
And also rather full.

Sladg stood staring into the space, which was taller and broader than himself, like a small and dark devotee at an unusual temple.

There was a whole lot of flesh in there.

Sladg selected a large cut of meat from an animal he was not famaliar with, but that smelled quite nice.

It weighed perhaps two or three kilos, and would make a nice light meal.

He closed up the storage device, and trotted back to the recreation area with his prize (on the largest plate he could find, and with a towel or two in case it dripped on anything).

He had parked himself near the holo-projection that had appeared in his absence, and was having at the meat when Garet arrived.

The meat was juicy and firm, with a slight tang.
Sladg suspected the animals blood was somewhat acidic, and that was what lended the meat it's tartness.

He nodded at Garet as he tore a mouth size chunk off the platter of meat.

Once he'd got it down, he tore off small chunk, and offered it up to Garet.

"Garet, would you care for a peice of this creature? I am not sure what it is, but it is very good."

Garet's face made an interesting contortion for a very brief moment, and then he made a sort of smile, and shook his head.

"No... but thanks for the offer."

Sladg nodded, head tilted.

"Ah yes. I had forgotten. Humans like to heat their food. I have not yet tried such a thing. It seems a waste to blacken such a wonderful peice of meat."

He tossed the chunk up into the air, and it rotated slowly, and then Sladg caught it with a snap, just as Wine walked in.

She only gave the sight of the Defel chewing noisily a quick glance, and then settled on a couch, waiting.
Sladg took in her knew outfit, which was rather less substantive than her old one, and didn't strike the Defel as wholely practical. Still, it seemed to stay where it was intended, though it apparently defied some natural laws in the process.

By the time Nak had arrived, and had finished his little speech, Sladg had finished the peice of meat, but only just barely. He was still licking his mouth clean, and wiping his hands with a towel when he responded.

Thus cleaned, and feeling pleasently full, he settled down into his cushion.

"Nakadai, that is an easy question. I desire to know everything about this venture, and what role we are all to play in it. Begin where you wish. Also, i wish to know who you believe our enemies are. Obviously we are entering Imperial Space, so they are one. The attack on the Nebulae i would also say resembled action they would take, in it's destructive and careless nature. But, why would they go so far, for so few? Begin where you will."

[NeuroMortis]

Nakadai nodded appreciatively, his eyes on Wine.

Whether he nodded because of what he heard or because of what he looked at was anyone’s guess except maybe the woman herself.

And as he addressed the question, he didn’t take his eyes from her.

“Those are excellent questions.”

She met his eyes, holding them—eyes that revealed nothing but study of that which they held.

“An Imperial Destroyer dropped out of the sky over Koda just under 36 hours ago. No transmissions, nothing. I have reason to believe they were forcibly removed from the sky. I also have reason to believe that the Destroyer fired upon the planet first.”

He looked to the Defel finally.

“Are you familiar with the substance mined on Koda?”

[Sladggrlok]

Sladg kicked his head to the side.

"I may be famaliar with it.
However, I do not know what it might be. Koda was not an operation i took an interest in, nor am I even sure it was in operation when i first began operations of Af'el."

He moved forward somewhat on the cushion.

"However, you seem to suggest that this substance is conncected with the ship firing, it's destruction, and perhaps this organic energy spike?"

[NeuroMortis]

Nak nods.

"Let me ask you something: how does a laser work?"

[Sladggrlok]

The Defel thought for a second.

Not because he didn't know the answer (though he did need to think of the right words in basic. Fortunately his experience with non-Defel miners gave him the appropriate vocabulary), but because he was not sure how it related to the subject at hand.

"A laser works by generating a light source, usually of one bandwidth, filtering it with a polarizer so that all of the light is of the same orientation, and then it is focused tightly down. With a sufficiently intense source and proper radiative bandwidth, it can be a very powerful tool or weapon."

[NeuroMortis]

Nak nods.

"And how does one 'filter and polarize?"

[Sladggrlok]

This was becoming an odd conversation.

"There are many ways. For efficeincy one might use a source that only produced radiation of a single orientation, in order to remove the filtering step. However, some sort of gate is generally used to polarize, and a lens of some kind is used to focus, though other systems exist, for instance, the construction of gravity lenses, which use gravity to distort space in order to focus light. Sometimes the filter gate and focusing is combined into one step, particularly in powerful system, such as the lightsaber, in the form of natural or synthetic crystals."

[NeuroMortis]

"Like, Adegan crystals, perhaps?"

[Wine Marisinthe]

He winks at me.

Winks at me.

"Nakadai..."

I can't bring myself to say any more.

[Sladggrlok]

Sladg nodded.

"Yes... however, i believe that such crystals act as all three; source, filter and lens. However, i have never been involved in the mining or cutting of Ilum stones, so I am not certain."

Sladg moved forward on his cushion again.

"I am lead to assume that these crystals were mined on Koda. And that you believe they have been used to shoot down an Imperial warship?"

[Garet Andrys]

There hadn't been enough time to reset the AutoDoc, so Garet excused himself to change the dressing on his wound. He turned on the intercom so he could continue to hear the conversation, and promised to return as soon as he was finished.

Nakadai was filling in a few more details concerning the energy spike on Koda as Garet moved his tattered shirt and examined the synthflesh seal. Some of the wound was oozing through, he noticed, and he was going to have to redo the whole thing. He looked forward to resetting the AutoDoc, so the wound could be treated properly... and he could change into the fresh set of clothes Nakadai provided, now sitting in his cabin.

The problem was, he had too much scar tissue. Synthflesh adhered best to healthy skin.

He sighed, pulled off the poultice and started re-cleaning the wound.

As he listened to Sladg explain the theory behind lasers, he realized he was glad to be away from the room. The outfit Nakadai had chosen for Wine made him very uncomfortable. He knew most people had much less rigid definitions of what clothing meant, but a part of him still felt that Nakadai was tagging her as either his mate or his slave.

It was a cultural bias, and he was going to have to get past it.

Garet sprayed down his wound with a diluted bacta solution as Sladg was describing the filtration and polarization process of a laser, then began to carefully apply a new layer of synthflesh. By the time he finished, Sladg had asked a very interesting question.

[NeuroMortis]

"Think about it here.

A 12,000 percent organic energy spike--from a business perspective, it means nothing, a fluke, a misreading, an act of God, whatever.

But if this occured immediately following an Imperial Destroyer firing upon the planet--"

He paused to let it sink in.

"A laser works by capturing the light first. Filtering and focusing, sure--but first, one must seize the light."

He moved to Wine, talking to the Defel.

"The original yield of that planet--not Adegan crystals, or Ilum, as some certain factions refer to them as--"

He stopped, still looking at her.

"--because those kinds of crystals are hidden away, carefully guarded, aren't they? And if, by chance, another repository were discovered--it stands to reason the finders might decide their claim is worthy of a definitive stake, seeing as these crystals are one of the more, shall we say, selectively sought after substances in the known universe."

He squatted.

"But there's more, isn't there? Those crystals aren't used in lightsabers just because they make pretty cool flashlights."

[Wine Marisinthe]

I run the stones, because right now I'd love to smack his jaw off his skull.

Clear the mind.

Of course, you're the businessman. This is a prime opportunity. Who am I to take the side of subjective morality, right?

That isn't why I'm here.

"Nakadai, I'd like a jacket, please."

[Garet Andrys]

"Are you saying that somehow these crystals were used to intensify and redirect the Imperial ship's attack?"

Garet raised his voice so it would be picked up by the intercom, and reached for his shirt.

[NeuroMortis]

Nakadai stood, nodding.

"Sure. I'll see what I can find."

He strode off down the corridor.

[Wine Marisinthe]

I watch him go wihtout looking at him.

Look across to the Defel.

He understands the business aspect.

I lay my head back. Then, for no reason at all:

"YEP! THAT'S WHAT HE'S GETTING AT!"

[Garet Andrys]

He buttoned up his shirt, then walked back to the rec area. Nakadai wasn't there.

"I guess my question scared him off."

[Wine Marisinthe]

"No, my lack of stimulation when I donned the prostitute costume did. He's fetching a jacket."

[Garet Andrys]

Garet nodded. "It... is an unusual choice," he said carefully.

[NeuroMortis]

The jacket lands in her lap as he addresses them, emerging from the corridor.

"Making any more sense now as to the what we're after--and the why certain parties might be reticent to allow other parties to confirm the suspicions?"

[Sladggrlok]

Sladg watched Nakadai go, and Wine recline.

Shortly after her outburst, Garet returned.

"Garet, Nakadai has-" Wine cut him off.

He stared at the girl.

Why did Nakadai stare at her while he had spoken to another?

They were both somehow agitated.

"Wine, there is something here that I do not understand. Why does Nakadai look at you, while speaking with me? It is the normal human ritual to look at, or at least in the direction of the verbal partner. Why does he look at you, and what is the significance of his question?"

He finished the sentence just as Nak walked in.
He'd probably heard most of it.

Sladg turned to him.

"Yes, i suspect so, but i still have unanswered questions. More is here than what you show, Storyteller. Firstly, a challenge has been issued by those who control Koda. If they have a great volume of these crystals, and somehow managed to drive off the mining companies, who kept it a secret, why is it only now that they choose to come into conflict with the Imperials? Secondly, why do you look at Wine while seeming to address me?"

His deep voice remained level, no more threatening than usual, and his position on the cushion remained the same, seated upright, leaning very slightly forward, ears up and forward, twitching back every once in a while.

[Wine Marisinthe]

"Yes, why do you do that? I'm sure we'd all grow much closer if you'd let us in on that little tidbit."

[NeuroMortis]

Nak grinned at the Defel.

"Fair enough. Your first question: I have no idea. I have a feeling, though, that the challenge you speak of was retaliatory, not aggressive. Why jeopardize a good thing? And they didn't drive off the mining companies--that place was deserted years ago, left to the hands of a bunch of drug addicts andd exiled slaves. There was no Ilum there--or, at least, not in the beginning. Company records show the resources dwindling there, and it being chalked up as a wasteland--now, whether or not that's true, who knows?

I'd been watching it for some time, on the back burner, because I have a tendency to keep tabs on things that I get a gut feeling about. It's not the first, and hopefully won't be the last time my instincts pay off."

He smiled as if to indicate the statement had a couple of meanings--in a good way.

"The Imperials--well, if you had a choice between ionization or finally admitting you're up to something, and then using that something to prolong your life for a while--wouldn't you?"

He looked to Wine, noting the jacket, which fit, covering her to her shins.

"Better? Oh, right--"

He made a point of looking at Sladg, then Wine, alternately.

"When we humans want to emphazise a point to an audience while knowing part of the audience isn't on the same wavelength, we engage in activities to draw the attentions of those who might be paying attention somewhere else, like daydreaming, or traipsing about in someone's mind, what have you. When I look at Wine while talking to you, I'm trying to check in to make sure we're all on the same page. That we all have the same agenda, and we're all communicating without any sort of reservations."

A nod to Sladg. A nod to Wine. A nod to Garet. A nod to himself.

"Sometimes I'm not sure that I'm getting through to some people, call it a human insecurity (something else you can thank God you're an alien for) , and I try to second guess where they actually think I'm communicating from, or I try to figure out what they're really thinking."

To Wine:

"And in some cases, I will most likely never know."

[Garet Andrys]

Garet watched the exchange between Sladg, Nakadai and Wine, keeping his face neutral. Sladg had touched upon an interesting and volatile point with his question, though he doubted the Defel thought of it as anything more than a strange facet of interaction he didn't understand.

The relationship between Nakadai and Wine was obviously complicated. Complicated relationships made dangerous ventures difficult. The current situation was already complicated, Garet thought, and Nakadai's response to Sladg, compared with Nakadai's comments to Garet earlier, while Wine was still recovering, hinted at a jumbled mixture of longing, friendship, reliance, uncertainty, and suspicion that threatened to become a weak link in a group that couldn't afford that kind of weakness.

So, Garet thought, it might be a good idea to try and address that problem directly.

"Look," he said, "I don't want to die."

Everyone appeared confused by the apparent non sequitur of the comment.

"There's a planet... I'm not terribly familiar with how the borders have been chopped up of late, but it's in the Sinari sector, and I think that's currently part of the New Republic. Not important."

He nodded towards Sladg. "You might have heard of it: seven or eight generations back it was a penal colony where the Empire shipped off a lot of really nasty people. I mean legitimate criminals. Well, these murderers and psychopaths discovered some pretty rare minerals on the planet, see, which suddenly made that area important.

"The only problem is the planet itself. It's an odd one. Axial tilt is very pronounced -- it's almost rotating on it's side, looking at it from its orbital plane. And it's orbit is so erratic that it travels from the extreme inner edge of the systems zone of life to its extreme outer edge, depending on the season, of which there are only two: damned hot, and damned cold.

"In the winter, the entire planet is covered in ice and sub-zero temperatures, in the summer, that water evaporates into the air, and the entire planet is covered in violent thunderstorms and hurricanes. The water is so hot it can burn through flesh, if you're not careful."

He touched his left forearm absently, remembering.

"At any rate. No one was crazy enough to mine that planet except for the criminals already living there, so they were offered the job. That's how the New Paradise mining colony was born. My great-great-great-great-and-so-on-grandparents -- both nasty people in their own right -- were some of the original 'settlers.'

"So how do you do any mining on a planet that is utterly hostile to human life, you ask? It's tricky. It's not just the weather that can kill you... the native life, what little there is, is also very predatory and likes the way you taste. And they can survive both weather extremes without protective clothing... it's built-in.

"And how do a bunch of murderers mine a planet where survival is an everyday struggle? They figure out a way to trust each other, a system where everyone involved is on exactly the same page. Everyone knows exactly how far and to what extent they can rely on everyone else... it's all the same, no variation, because that's how you judge what can and can't be done. You know when you can expect people to come to your aid, and you know when you can't. It works a lot better than you'd think."

He looked from Sladg to Nakadai to Wine, then back to Nakadai. "There's this thing we have -- sort of a cultural bias that's rooted in a survival instinct -- about clothes. When you're outside on the surface, every single inch of you is covered. No flesh exposed at all, whatsoever, because regardless of which season it is, exposure is painful and can kill you. Most of us never really see what anyone else looks like, because you don't remove those clothes when you're not safe. The only people who do know what you look like are the people you're intimate with: friends, family..." his eyes flicked to Wine, then back to Nakadai. "...lovers. And, this is the important part: they never work together."

He waited a moment to let them mull that over.

"Ever. Because when you put two people like that into the mix, none of the rest of the crew knows where they stand. It's hard to maintain the necessary detachment to trust when you're supposed to trust, and be cautious when you're supposed to be cautious, when you know what the person next to you looks like.

"If I'm working on a hydraulic drill -- a stupid piece of equipment to have on a planet where water is either frozen or boiling, I know, but we use what we have -- and a hose breaks, spraying white-hot water all over me, I know I'm on my own. Why? Because it's easier to bring in a replacement and repair the drill after the fact than it is to try and shut off the water while it's discharging... you can break the drill that way. It's nothing personal, it's nothing malicious, it's just the way it is. Still, if someone sees a hose buckle, they'll try and get you out of the way, even risking their own lives to do so... because it's better to just repair the drill than to repair the drill and bring a new guy in.

"But what if that's your father working on it, and it goes off? You might feel obligated to try and save his life. It might damage the drill. The other people on your team don't have any reason to feel you'd do the same for them... so everything breaks down. What if the person on the field is a former lover, one who spurned you, and you see the hose buckle? Can you be trusted to try and fix the situation, or pull them out of harms way?"

"That's a long, boring story, and other than the fact that we don't fear hell because we live there, we're not terribly interesting people... but we do know how to stay alive. I assume that's at least one of the reasons you want me involved. So consider this as friendly and utterly self-serving advice: it's a little too late for us to keep our professional distance from each other. We've already, to some degree, been exposed to each other. But the dangers involved in that are still there, and we simply can't afford them."

He could feel the synthskin starting to peel off his side again, and stood up, massaging his side.

"Nakadai, if you're trying to make sure we're all on the same page... then we aren't. Second-guessing implies a lack of trust. Back in the Nebulae, we were on the same page... and we survived. Don't chalk that up to incompetence on their part. They were overconfident, but they had a right to be. We survived because we put away our questions and did what we had to do, helped the people who needed help, and relied on each other the entire time. If you'd taken a second to try and confirm that we were, then, you'd probably be dead. And so would we."

"So." He paused, trying to read their reactions, but it was impossible. Sladg's face simply wasn't visible to normal sight, and Nakadai and Wine only showed what they wanted people to see.

Well, I'm not much of a diplomat. No surprise there. Time to make my point.

"Anyone who has issues with anyone else in this room... solve them or stow them. Because, like I said earlier... I don't want to die."

[Wine Marisinthe]

He’s right.

Chalk it up to self indulgence.

No wonder I—

No.

Smirk.

Almost did it again.

Give it an inch…

The coat is better.

Nakadai actually looks like he’s seriously thinking about what Andrys said.

Good for him.

“Only a fool says trust me. The shrewd treat actions as currency.”

Yeah, I know.

"I didn't come up with that, but it fits."

Garet.

“For the sake of peace of mind, know that my business here differs from yours. All of yours. Nakadai knows this, and he’d much rather assume I’ll come around and throw my lot in with yours wholeheartedly rather than fulfilling my own agenda.”

They’re all listening carefully. Amazing.

Guess we throw more chits in now.

“Know this, Nakadai: My will is subject to none. I may frighten you, but I have yet to fail you. What’s more, I trust you with my life, regardless of your remarkable ability to keep everyone in the dark. You know why?”

He shrugs. There’s the smirk.

“Because no matter how thick the darkness, no one gets lost. You won’t allow it. And despite your cocksurety and no matter how badly I want to knock that damnable grin off your face, I know you keep yourself at the bottom of the list when it comes to saving skins.”

I’ll let him bask in that.

“Mister Andrys, Nakadai and I go back several years. He’s never seen me in the position I’ve been in of late—Nak, that’s depraved, pull your head out—and doesn’t quite know what to make of someone dealing with the particular hand I’ve been dealt. On top of this, I don’t really blame him—I show up after two years, emotional and drinking, no less—and suddenly his club is more popular than it’s been in quite some time in all the wrong ways. I’d be a bit put out as well—and I’d wonder if I hadn’t been replaced.

I’m sorry I drank, Nak. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have taken up the extra time.

And I wouldn’t be wearing this now, which is the real reason I’m sorry.”

Wink.

Sladg.

Incredibly interesting race.

“I don’t believe I need to convince you of anything. I’ll simply state my business interests do not conflict with this endeavour, and my skills are at the disposal of the group so long as the methods remain honorable.”

There.

Well.

Might as well say it.

“Nak, they’re trusting you. I think they would prefer so see the danger, rather than be shielded from it until it gets out of your control.”

The smirk is gone.

“Yours is not to protect this time. You can’t. And as a matter of fact, none of you can.”

Deep breath.

“That, apparently, is why I’m here—it seems my God has decided I’ve spent too much time feeling sorry for myself and has forced me to start thinking about the other faceless people in the suits.”

I understand, Garet.

And you’re right.

[Sladggrlok]

There was an awful lot of talking going on.

Fortunately, most of it seemed to be straight.

Sladg had apparently asked just the right question at the right time.

He absorbed Nakadai's response, but knew that Nakadai was still holding back something, as his intentionality never left him, and he still performed as a Storyteller.

Garet, on the other hand, spoke as straight as one could desire, clearly moving from point to point, explaining what his intentions were, lest there be any confusion.

As his talk progressed, Sladg came to see why Garet was an Understander, and why he saw so clearly. To never see the faces of those around you, for a human, must have made it very difficult to communicate, at first. The society of New Paradise was possibly the most like that of Af'El that Sladg could think of in the human universe.

Wine had perhaps revealed the most, however.
Her journey in the other-place might have given her reason to do so.

Nakadai still seemed lost in thought, so Sladg figured it was his turn... where to begin?

"Nakadai, Wine, Garet, I have no quarrel with any member of this group. I forsee none, as long as we remain true partners."

He paused, cocked his head, flicked his ears in thought.

"My people are very different from most of those that i have met. We rarely leave our world, because we do not understand how other species interact, and other species do not wish to understand how we interact.

We are very independent people, we Defel. We spend a great deal of our time alone. When we do come together, in working, perhaps, or in seeking out mates, or in conflict, we rely on the ancient rituals that our ancestors devised to keep our people from destroying themselves. Most of these rituals have no real analogue in your cultures. Garet's is the most similar to mine, perhaps. It is true that humans have many rituals, as far as i am able to see. However, they vary greatly from individual to individual, and with place and time. I am beginning to learn, because I am able to see you clearly, and can connect meaning with what I see over time.

However, you probably cannot do the same with me. So I will share with you, as you have shared with me.

We have entered into a business venture together, it would seem, though i suspect there is more to it than that, at least for some, like Wine. If you were all Defel, it would be understood that as partners we share in all things. Profits, danger, loss, knowledge, skill. All become the groups, and are divided according to what each is able to give. It is the only way to proceed so that all benefit. In such things there can be no leaders. All Defel companies are shared among the workers in this manner. It is difficult for me to work outside of this manner, which is why i chose humans or other to be the head of my operations, my partners, because they know the way to interact with workers who are not partners.

Wine, I have seen that you give all that is yours. I have no doubt of you as partner. Garet I have seen give all that is his. Nakadai I have seen give as well, but i cannot see if it is only part, or if he gives fully. What you say Wine, seems to say that you, Nakadai, do not share all that is yours. Know that in all things that relate to our venture, I will give all that is mine, and honor each accordingly. However, in regards to our enemy, i discard the rules of ritual and respect, for they have done the same. This does not mean I will commit atrocity, as has been done towads us, leaving many dead that should not have died. Simply that I no longer hold myself to the obligations that i would normally give an enemy."

Sladgrrlok turned towards Nakadai, looking up at him with red eyes.

"Nakadai, I see that you do not trust Wine in some manner, perhaps because of her trip to the other-place, and what happened after. You do not seem to know of the other-place so your fear is understandable. But know that Wine has travelled beyond this place, and walked far, and seen with diffirent eyes. I myself have done this.
Normally, my people do not speak of their journeys, but i will share with you, so that you understand. It was my journey that led me to know that my place was not on Af'El, but out here, with other peoples. Much of what i have seen I do not yet understand, but it is clear that there are things it is required I do. This may be one of them. Wine has likely returned with great knowledge, though she may not yet understand it."

He turned back to Wine.

"I will not ask that you share your journey, but if some part of it relates to this venture we take together, then it may be good for you to do so."

He leaned back on the cushion.

"This is my understanding of our relationship. If it is not acceptable, or true to the way of things, then these things must be made clear before we proceed further."

[NeuroMortis]

Before he raised his head he replied.

“Honestly, Wine—that outfit was the only thing I had that came remotely close to fitting you.”

He looked up.

“Except for the Envirosuits. But they’re, ah, kinda bulky.”

It was now, now that he wasn’t smiling, that the tension passed.

But.

“Okay guys. This isn’t going to be a cakewalk.”

He moved to the far console, thumbing a recessed panel. A section of the bulkhead slipped into itself, and there hung Philius’ Roost against the Ropagian dawn.

“It’s not entirely about the crystals—though the crystals are wonderful incentive for enterprising individuals such as ourselves to explore the possibilities of cornering a rather exclusive market—yeah, we know Ilum crystals can be manufactured, but it’s a safe wager the parties involved in said industry would willingly fork over the practice if a high-yield lode were made accessible…”

He turned, taking stock, then advanced on the holomap.

“Fess, bring up Koda.”

The image of Ropagi II shrunk by nearly a third, replaced by a swiftly turning greenish planet.

“Close on site one.”

The image zoomed rapidly, penetrating a remarkably textured cloud layer and dropping swiftly over vast wooded expanses, plains, more forestry and then a serrated upwelling of rock—and then stopped upon a flashing installation which all recognized as a mining colony.

“Lady and gentlemen, this is Dubious Oasis.”

An overt rubbing of the hands.

“It’s a mine. And itsa-mine.”

Grin.

“Subsidiary acquisition after the ‘Kodan defection,’ when the powers that were scrambled to cover any patch of posterior left unblistered by the disappearance of the resident workers—and the disappearance of the yield they offered up. Naturally, they’re looking to replace the loss of revenue.”

The image zoomed in for detail. The operation looked extensive, though abandoned.

“I picked it up for the princely sum of 40% yield per annum times ten years, which I paid up front since this particular installation ranked second lowest against the comparable sites.”

He snapped his fingers on both hands in rapid succession.

“Just did a little homework. This place suffered a bit from a nasty case of resident encephalitis. Doesn’t take much of an astute mind to figure out why production wasn’t up to par—just because brains are swollen doesn’t mean they think.

First thing I did, I dropped a load of perimeter drones down to cordon off the area as a biohazard. They dug in and started cranking out pheromones and carbon dioxide, attracting the critters carrying the bloodborne pathogens—airborne parasites came in thinking ‘Whoa, BIG breathing things that smell nice’ and by the time they realized they’d been duped, they’re sucked into a containment field and ionized. Since only the females are carriers (they’re the bloodseekers), the egg populace is decimated when they’re destroyed. Voila—no more encephalitis.”

He checked in. They weren’t lost.

“So. I pull some core samples—deep core samples. I run them through the GeoSpec and Hey! There’s a percentage, very small but existent, of Adegan crystal.

Ok—I’m about 150 kilometers from the northern cap—“

Fess, presumably, dictated a perfect topographical course from the mine to a glacial field in the north.

“—which, irony of ironies, would provide a climate consistent with geological conditions suitable for accumulating Adegan crystal beds. This, supported by readings from one of my probes that suffered a horrible malfunction and wound up straying off course to plant just 20 kilos from the glaciers—miraculously, the poor little misguided probe manages to transmit fragments of jumbled readings for the week before the Containment Authority recovered it. The CA bail almost a year later by reason of further inclement conditions coupled with a general ennui.”

His taskmastery was his genius.

One could not help but admire the fluid confidence imbuing his speech—despite how much of it there was.

“The crystal is there, under the eyes of an Empire dissuaded from wasting its time.”

His gaze shifted, withdrawing as he leaned upon the edge of the holomap dais.

“…but so are they.”

It spun, slowly, in silence.

“I have a strong suspicion the folks who disappeared nearly ten years ago are not only still there, but have found their way into the Adegan fields.”

He raised his eyes.

“And, you know, I’ve got my ideas, but I have a feeling Wine might be able to give us a little more insight into just what they could be doing with it.”