Brian's Threads and Plans v2

[Pierce Tondry]

(6/11/18) *dusts off thread* It's been awhile, but I'm going to try and pick RPing back up. There might be plans here? Maybe? Possibly? Banana?

Latest thread activity:

Corellia: Free Running (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56632-Corellia-Free-Running) featuring Karin DeLumiar, Matatek Sel Vissica, and Alexia Sturkov and including Pierce Tondry
Dance of the Leaves (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56686-Dance-of-the-Leaves) featuring Satkia Beltrak, Matatek Sel Vissica, and Cordelia Morgance and including Hobgoblin
Up (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56916-Up) a mini-story featuring Hobgoblin and Untaaura Verratoa
An Antisocial Call (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56949-An-Antisocial-Call) introducing Admiral Rigel Bismarck to the post-reset SWFans universe! Do not miss!
Uprising on Orvax IV (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56967-Uprising-on-Orvax-IV) featuring Daniella Tur'illian, Nikolai Drakken, and Pierce Tondry
The Cat's Meow (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56618-The-Cat-s-Meow), featuring Pierce Tondry, Sasseeri Reeouurra, and Ryloth Grimhammer (and including Katie, my favorite NPC to date)
The Call of the Woods (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56977-The-Call-of-the-Woods), featuring Hobgoblin, Serah Kleor, and Teagan s'Ilancy.
The Greatest Game, Episode I: The Model Society (https://theholo.net/forum/showthread.php?57929-The-Greatest-Game-Episode-I-The-Model-Society) featuring Rigel Bismarck and Miranda Tarkin
Royal Proclamation (https://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?57865-Royal-Proclamation/page2) starring Miranda Tarkin and featuring several key Imperial luminaries, including Rigel Bismarck!


Hello and welcome to my planning thread. For reference, I play the following characters:

Pierce Tondry
Karin DeLumiar
Hobgoblin
Redik
Rigel Bismarck


In addition to being a general "announcement" system for my current status, this thread is a combination of:

thread lexicon (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56582-Brian-s-Threads-and-Plans-v2&p=1044134&viewfull=1#post1044134)
character biographies (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56582-Brian-s-Threads-and-Plans-v2&p=1044135&viewfull=1#post1044135)
character and thread theme music (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56582-Brian-s-Threads-and-Plans-v2&p=1044136&viewfull=1#post1044136)
thread trailers (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56582-Brian-s-Threads-and-Plans-v2&p=1044137&viewfull=1#post1044137)
other stuff TBD


If you'd like to request my participation in a thread, feel free to post here. Also, feel free to post reminders here too, if you'd like.

For reference, my old planning thread is here (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?55990-Brian-s-Threads-and-Plans).

[Pierce Tondry]

Brian's Thread Lexicon

General Threads
Pierce and/or Karin:
Completed:
In Memoriam: Jane Starborn (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?55903-In-Memorium-Jane-Starborn)
Redefining "Me" - 10.241 (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?55960-Redefining-quot-Me-quot-10-241)
Escape Claws (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56174-Escape-Claws)
A Meet of Dragons (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56306-A-Meet-of-Dragons&p=1040906#post1040906)

In Progress:
Float On (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56056-Float-On) (Needs reply!)
The Cat's Meow (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56618-The-Cat-s-Meow) (Current)
Uprising on Orvax IV (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56967-Uprising-on-Orvax-IV) (Current)

Hobgoblin:
Completed:
Seha'ra'ss'ad Seh'ana (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?55807-Seha-ra-ss-ad-Seh-ana)
Toil and Trouble (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?55842-Toil-and-Trouble) (unfinished!)
Out That Sarlacc Pit (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?55994-Out-that-Sarlaac-Pit)

In Progress:
You Must Be This Tall to Ride (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56062-You-Must-Be-This-Tall-to-Ride) (Needs reply!)
Master and Apprentice (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56437-Master-and-Apprentice) (Needs reply!)
Up (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56916-Up) (Current)
The Call of the Woods (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56977-The-Call-of-the-Woods)(Current)

Redik:

Rigel Bismarck:
In Progress:
An Antisocial Call (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56949-An-Antisocial-Call) (Current)

Corellian Adventures
Completed:
Corellia: Status Quo (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56136-Corellia-Status-Quo)

In Progress:
Corellia: Free Running (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56632-Corellia-Free-Running) (Current)

Tales Series

Tales of DeLumiar and Tondry
Chapter 1: Flying
1) When They Met 0
2) They Looked 2
3) In the Other's Eyes 4
4) And Saw 8
5) (planned) 10

Chapter 2: Falling
6) Blue Skies 13
7) Time Flies 17
8) Low Highs 19
9) Love Lies 20a
10) She Dies 20b

Chapter 3: Landing
11) Shatterpoints 20c
12) The Light of Nibel
13) The Last Promise
14) First Steps
15) Converging Courses

The Girl and the Goblin
1) A Perfect, Yet Unlikely Pairing (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?55981-The-Girl-and-the-Goblin-1-A-Perfect-Yet-Unlikely-Pairing) (Complete)
2) A Bounty Hunter, a Laboratory, and a Small Dog

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds
1) Remember
2) You Were the First

[Pierce Tondry]

Character Biographies:

Hobgoblin
Sometimes inscrutable, sometimes clownish, sometimes crazy, and always short, the creature known as Hobgoblin hails from the same species as reknowned Jedi Master Yoda. However, while most members of Yoda's species appear physically friendly, Hob carries with him a series of deformities that give him a much more vicious appearance. In addition to the same large ears, greenish skin color, and tri-clawed hands, Hob sports angular eyes with vertically slit pupils, black striping on his face, and pointed teeth.

Hob occasionally refers to himself as a Jedi Master, though exactly when he received the title is unclear. Reports of the Jedi Order immediately prior to the Clone Wars don't bear reference to him, though that could be due to any number of reasons. However, Hob discusses Jedi of the old Order, especially those from the time the infamous Count Dooku was still a younger Jedi Knight, with the familiarity of one who has watched them walk and heard them speak.

Whatever the case, Hob clearly has knowledge of all lightsaber forms and many Force powers, sometimes seemingly coming up with new abilities on the fly. While he tends to rely on his creativity, cunning, and trickster tendencies the most in resolving difficulties, Hob also possesses a fair amount of wisdom. On occasion, Hob has mentioned his age to be around 120, though he's rarely been consistent with the figure in public. Recent opportunities (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56062-You-Must-Be-This-Tall-to-Ride&p=1037593&viewfull=1#post1037593) for measurement have placed Hob's height at 3'2".

[Pierce Tondry]

Character and Thread Theme Music

Thread Theme Music
Themes for "The Stobon Wasteland"
Heroism Beneath a Dying Star: Fallout 3 Soundtrack, Main Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl5xbFXrFU4)
Deadly Mysteries of the Frozen Wastes: Fallout New Vegas Soundtrack, End Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5PzaJELAJI)
The Last Life Leaves: Fallout New Vegas Soundtrack, Main Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcgJnbCul-0)

Character Theme Music:

Pierce Tondry:
The Soul of the Soldier: FFVI, Edgar and Sabin, OCRemix Variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q81hD9wwzZU)
Giving Up the Secret/Unbreakable Oathkeeper: Hymn of the Apocalypse [Extended RMX] ~ GRV Music - Jo Blankenburg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skf6ukziJFE&feature=youtu.be)
Armored for the Hunt: Sub Pub Music - Civil War (2015 - Epic Hybrid Action) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiGL_OY8LoQ&feature=youtu.be)
I Am the Monster: Frankenstein's Monster/Magneto's Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oIUOqK_er8)
Infiltrating the Enemy: Metal Gear Solid III - Main Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWZ6wOo19WQ)
Mission 20/Immovable Object: Metal Gear Solid IV - Main Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhRw3nE67aw)

Karin DeLumiar:
I'll Step Up: The Battle Room, Ender's Game OST (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lny7YDer6Us)
Screaming Beauty: Ori and the Blind Forest OST, Kuro's Tale II - Her Pain (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVoA7YZJuIg)
The Hard Road: FFVI, Terra's Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juORAXpgb_M&spfreload=1)
Hope On the Wind: Ori and the Blind Forest OST, Inspiriting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKN-NCiYEsM)
Mission 20/Unstoppable Force: Ori and the Blind Forest OST, Fleeing Kuro (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEaZt0A0iHw)
DeLumiar's Destiny: Ori and the Blind Forest OST, The Light of Nibel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6vWDz5NzOY)

Pierce and Karin:
We Are In Accord: FFVI, The Returners, OCRemix variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wsKzK28urM)
A Shared Rest: FFVI, Coin Flip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shx9LLiUGxo)
Luminous Futures/Till We Meet Again: FFVI - Aria de Mezzo Carattere, OCRemix variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_nxyFJ5DFU)
The Dragon and the Eagle, Chapters 1 through 6: Doctor Who Series 7 Disc 1 Track 07 - Amy And Rory Together (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwbAuB44jb8)
The Dragon and the Eagle, Chapters 7, 8, and 9: Doctor Who Series 7 Disc 1 Track 28 - Together Or Not At All - The Song Of Amy And Rory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gam8ogWBLk)
It All Falls Down: Ori and the Blind Forest OST, Approaching the End (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo6A0OMCHZE)
They Surrender: Ori and the Blind Forest OST, The Sacrifice (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVaITrUgoP4)
Art and Soul: FFVI, Cyan's Theme, YouTube Variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v-D9AFn86I)
Where Sea and Shore Meet Sun and Sky: Fallout 4 - Main Theme, Youtube Compilation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khTwu14CXcA)
Their Last Desire: Someday, I'll Be Redeemed (YouTube repost) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdi2iKBxdRw)

Hobgoblin:
A Small Miracle: Ori and the Blind Forest OST, Completing the Circle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwN1MEjUeGk)
Pie Fight!: FFIV, Go-Go Gadget Gonkulator (Gogo), OCRemix variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bzH5BqCr38)
Adventure, Ho!: Toy, Rabbit Pushing Mower (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E24Sb-IwkE)

Hobgoblin and Teagan s'Ilancy:
Magical Master, Spirited Apprentice, Great Things Ahead: Doctor Who Season 5: Amy in the Tardis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGKgM7BW41E)
Exploring a Wondrous Universe: Doctor Who Season 5: Little Amy - The Apple (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4v2UE2U8so)
Watch Them Go!: Assassin's Creed Unity OST: Chase By Chase Basis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E66Q7Tp9CeI)

Redik:
More Insane Than You: FFVI, Kefka, OCremix variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX53E6TZVxI)
Making a Few Edits: FFVI, Devil's Lab (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzmrgXguhPI)

[Pierce Tondry]

Thread Trailers

The Stobon Wasteland.

“Attention all hands. Senior staff and VIPs to the bridge. This is a Priority Alpha situation.”


######

“Attention all current crew and passengers of the [redacted]: I’ve been authorized to issue the following announcement. We seem to have lost contact with our intelligence units in the Dol’passat system. Stand by for details.”

Karin’s pace quickened until she burst into a run. Pierce matched her pace, the two of them racing down the ship’s main corridor at top speed.

The comm crackled to life. “W- we do have-“ The ship’s public announcement system hummed, but without any speech. It was clearly on; it was the comm officer that had fallen silent.

It didn’t matter, she was almost there.

“We do have coming in…” the comm started again.

The bridge doors slid open and Karin bolted through them time to hear the end of the sentence delivered in person.

“…confirmed reports of Starkiller missile detonation.”


######

The starlines shrank into stars.

“By the Force,” Karin whispered. “Our comm taps were right. Everyone on Stobon is going to die unless we act fast.”

Pierce did not look away from the crippled and dying star before them. It shuddered as they watched, bleeding pale electron streams into space from a blackened and cracked outer shell. He turned gravely to Karin. “It's worse than that. This could renew the war.”

Karin could not take her eyes from the failing sun. “Who did this?”


######

“Star Destroyer Scythe, this is the [redacted],” stated Admiral Gress. “We only just arrived on the scene ourselves. We’d like to assist with this incident. In the name of peace, we are here to lend you any aid we can, up to and including evacuation of any personnel or equipment you see fit.”

“This is sovereign Imperial territory,” Bismarck stated with no uncertainty in his tone. “Your assistance is neither wanted, nor desired. For that matter, we’ve no evidence that the Rebellion didn’t cause this incident.”

Pierce strode towards the comm range, his steps taking on a foreboding and deliberate cadence that Karin recognized all too well. “Admiral Bismarck,” he interjected himself into the discussion. “It’s Pierce Tondry.”

Bismarck’s reply was uttered with a slow and thoughtful tone. “The Pierce Tondry?”

“Yes,” Pierce continued. “This is an event of epic scale with disastrous consequences for the entire galaxy if left to stand without response. I will not allow that.”

“At the current time I am not aware of any local Alliance, Imperial, or third-party capable of this act. If you allow us and any forces within reach to assist with the evacuation of this planet’s population from civilian and non-sensitive government or military installations, I swear to you that I will not rest until I find the identities of the parties responsible and turn the information over to Imperial hands.”

Bismarck paused. “And you swear not to deceive or misinform the Empire in any way regarding this matter?”

“I do,” Pierce stated.

“Then,” Bismarck replied. “To use your home planet’s terminology, I believe we can reach an accord.”


######

"This set of Guardsman armor is linked to Imperial command and control systems," Bismarck explained. "You will be our eyes and ears. Anything you learn, we will know."

Pierce finished pulling the glove on. He looked at Karin. "At least it fits."

"Don't get me wrong," she replied. "I absolutely hate that look on you."

Then she sidled up to him and gave him a hip-to-hip bump. "But you make it look good."


######

“Listen up,” Karin yelled above the armored carrier’s repulsor jets. “The Empire's deploying a series of containment shields to keep as much heat and oxygen around the planet as possible for as long as possible. At most, our chrono has three days on it. We are authorized only for transport or search and rescue operations; that’s everyone’s mandate.”

“That’s not my mandate.” Pierce yelled back.

Karin smiled. “That’s almost everyone’s mandate,” she corrected, jerking a thumb Pierce's way. “He'll be preventing another outbreak of galactic war. If he requires any aid whatsoever, you give it to him."

She looked sternly at the troops around them. "And Force help you if you get in his way.”

Pierce nodded at Karin. "Because then you'll have to deal with her."


######

"The building is going down!" Pierce shouted, hurling himself through a collapsing sheet of ice and metal. "I need evac now!"

"I'll make it! Keep your armor on!" Karin yelled back, guiding her A-Wing through the twisting maze of ice-coated city structures. "Or don't! I'd enjoy that too!"

The A-Wing barreled around the last corner. Large sections of the structure had collapsed, but near the top there was a hole with a tiny figure in red. "Get your grapple ready!" she yelled. "I'm coming through!"


######

The writing scrawled by the entrance read "Tunnel Krayts Rule!"

"Be original, idiots," muttered Karin.


######

Pierce stared up at the massive armored behemoth before him.

"I think I'm starting to see the picture," said Karin, running a gloved hand over the frosted controls. "But why here? Why now?"

Pierce turned to her. "I know what happened."


######

The explosion shattered through the cavern walls, collapsing everything into darkness.


######

The two of them gazed out over the ice-crusted sea. “It’s so beautiful,” Karin brushed a loose hair from her vision. “And so terrible.”

“That’s war,” Pierce said to her. “And war never changes.”

She nodded, taking one last look at the dying world. “Let’s go.”

[Pierce Tondry]

Tales of DeLumiar and Tondry 1: When They Met
Thread "Trailer"

Dracis raised his glass. "So, happy 21st birthday to our glorious leader, Karin DeLumiar!"


######

Suddenly, a man with hands tied and a bag over his head was shoved into the room.

"Look what we found," said Cadmius, sauntering in behind the prisoner. "He was being chased by some stormtroopers in town. We pulled him off the streets and brought him in.

Karin gestured to the nearby sofa. "Sit him down and take the bag off."

The being beneath the bag was a human male.

"What's your name?"

"Pierce Tondry."

"Hi, Pierce." she smiled. "I'm Karin. We're a Rebel cell, and you're in Chandrila's crystal canyons."

His eyes flickered and turned stony. "Pierce Tondry, 305th Imperial biker scout battalion."


######

“I'll stay for a month,” Pierce said. “I need the heat to die down.”

“Be ready to earn your keep.”

“Be ready to earn my service.”


######

“Remember how I said I was stationed on Endor?”

Karin jumped; she’d forgotten to notice whether Pierce had really left. Clearly he hadn’t. “I- yeah,” she said, recovering. “Yeah. With a biker scout troop.”

“That wasn’t the only reason.”


######

“Leading, fighting; I'm making it all up as I go,” she said. “But you know things I should know. Teach me.”

Pierce tilted his head, giving her an evaluating gaze. “There's something to be said for creating your own way.”

Karin gestured at the stacks of datapads that were her nightly reading material. “There's also something to be said for an education.”

The corner of Pierce's mouth twitched in a quarter-grimace. “My education was harsh. You might not like it.”


######

“Kar, you ever wake up one day and realize you've been a monster for years?”

“No. Can't empathize with you there.” Karin frowned. “But I also can’t agree. Maybe you’ve done some monstrous things, but when I look at you I don't see a monster.”


######

She sniffled suddenly and tears started streaming down her cheeks. “I try not to abandon them but they all keep going."

“I can't promise you anything when it comes to joining the Rebellion,” his hoarse voice finally said. “But I can promise you this; as long as you're here, you are not alone.”


######

The only thing she knew for sure was that she was alone right now. Her home was gone.

She could feel the anger in her, growing, mixing with regret, despair, guilt, sadness, building to a crescendo. She held it back, until she couldn't.

“WHYYYYYYYYYYY?”

Her scream echoed through the canyons with no answer.


######

"You ever had someone who you just fit with? Not love, but better than best friends-” she paused, fishing for a description.

Pierce nodded. “Partners in crime.”


######

Eventually, the drift ended and Pierce righted the bike before it could upend and dump them into the lake. He cut the throttle to a minimum and lifted his helmet's visor. “No holding back, remember?” he explained. “You said you wanted everything I’ve got. That? That was everything.”

“Give me a minute,” she whispered, basking in his 'everything'.

He gave her much longer than a minute and she took every second of it. Eventually, he spoke. “You want to keep riding?”

Her grin was instant. “Yes.”

[Pierce Tondry]

Tales of DeLumiar and Tondry #2: They Looked
Thread "Trailer"

“How's she been?” Pierce asked.

“Screaming Beauty?” The chatty pilot seemed surprised someone would ask. “As good as crazy gets, I guess.”

“Crazy?”

“Right, so when she first links up with us she's pretty normal. Screams sometimes for no clear reason – that’s how she gets her callsign, see? Still, the Squad figures we've all got our demons so most of us just let it slide. Thing is, over time she gets a reputation for misbehaving. Drinking, wild sex, some fights; that kind of thing. Command is a little peeved but the aces? Well, we pretty much just take it in stride. I mean, flight jockeys need to blow off steam, you know? Anyways, one day, ‘bout six months after she first sets foot on the Grennoss, she comes in to the arena looking hungover as hell and- get this, this is the weird part- acting like she's freaking possessed.”

“Possessed?”

“Right. She's all bloodshot eyes and crazy hair and begging the instructor to let her take sparring. He says she’s not a soldier, she’s a pilot, and her training ought to be in the flight sims. She says her flying won’t suffer, but she won't explain why she’s so desperate, just says 'I need this' over and over.“

“And he agrees.”

“She wore him down. Next day, she shows up looking as clean cut and focused as a groundhog. She cuts the drinking and the sex cold turkey – she's still flirty as hell though see, but all the misbehaving? Poof. Gone. Everything she's got goes into fighting and flying. Most of the squad wondered what happened.”

“I happened.”


######

“Who would be next?” the Echani was asking the sparring class in thickly accented Basic.

“Go prosk uto.” Pierce called out as he stepped through the crowd watching the sparring class. “Ano fus tin anso de Echani ka.”

The Echani stared him, her gray eyes suspicious. “Go kuso een katan en?”

“An kata Pierce.”

The Echani's eyes reflected, first surprise, then cool appraisal. He stood, calmly allowing it.

After a moment, she turned to Karin seeking confirmation; Karin nodded. “An katar Ensi Fallah,” she replied. “Plet fal saka gin shwaus.” Pierce nodded his acceptance and began unlacing his combat boots.

Karin gripped her shoulder with a cautionary hand but the Echani – Ensi, she'd called herself – shook it off. “Gi.”

Now barefoot, Pierce moved to the center of the mat, the assembled class making a ring of space for him. Finding the right spot, he lifted his right leg and stomped it firmly into the mat. “Ka swo.”

A ripple went through the crowd. “What did he say,” someone whispered.

“I said,” Pierce answered loudly. “Move me.”


######

Karin lashed out with a kick, just as she'd said she would. Caught between a promise and a hard place, Pierce let it connect.

The force of the kick took him from his feet and he fell to the mat.

"I can move you," Karin snarled at him in triumph. "Me. And if you ever get out of line, I'll do it again. I don't care what it takes, I will break you down. Never forget that."


######

"Well, hello!" said the man, waving at him with a disturbed grin. "You're a new one around here, aren't you?"

"Not a regular," Pierce acknowledged, settling into the booth across from him. "What do I call you?"

"Ohhh, let's not pretend," the man grabbed a salt shaker, unscrewed the cap, and poured a dose into his coffee. "You know who I am. You're here for me aren't you?"

"You look thirsty," he said, passing the cup to the man at the next table. "Here, drink this."

The man stared at the coffee, befuddled, then accepted it. "He has a heart condition, you know," his booth companion confided. "That salt's just not going to be any good for him."

"One sec," said Pierce. He scootched over just enough, then punched the disaster coffee from the man's hand. The cup sailed cleanly across the room and smashed into the wall. The man moved as if to go lick it straight from the tiles, but Pierce interrupted him with a hand.

"Sit down."

The man looked at his hand, dazed, then continued in his attempt to stand.

Pierce did not let him. Standing to his full height, he shoved the man back into his chair. "Sit and stay," he demanded, his presence filling with old authority and conviction.

The man seemed surprised that anyone would interrupt him, but Pierce's words had shocked him from his stupor. He glanced between Pierce and the man in the next booth, not quite sure whose instructions to follow.

"Very nice," his boothmate applauded. "Tell you what- why don't you go lick it up in his place?"

Something was pushing against him, trying to insert itself into his thoughts. The force behind it was strong and subtle, and similar to one he'd faced before. His resolve changed direction, forcing the directive to drink out. "No."

The manipulator's face soured. "Well, this just got awkward."

"Your name," Pierce demanded.

"Fine. I'm Redik. Master editor, at your service."

Editor? Pierce tilted his head as an insight came to him. "So you took the words 'red ink', mashed them together, and cut out the 'n'? And then you took that as a name?"

Redik's face soured further. "Apparently I need to be careful what I say around you. You seem to see exactly what I don't want seen."


######

"Oooh, aren't you a pretty one!" Redik smiled at her. "I think you'd make a vicious little attack dog."

Karin smiled sweetly; like she gave a damn what he thought. "I don't care-"

"Hold that thought," Redik interrupted. And something- something in his voice-

I don't care- I don't care- I don't care. I don't care. I don't care what it takes. I will break you down. I don't care.


######

"Kar?" Pierce asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She spun around, her face locked in a wrong expression. "Hi, honey," she smiled.

And then she shot him.

[Karin DeLumiar]

Post storage:

Karin missed flying.

Since she'd come to Corellia, her daily activity could be summarized as a collection of briefings, secret meetings, and the occasional close swerve with the Empire. She'd agreed to stay in the background with her teammembers. She liked none of it

Even worse, none of it was personally fulfilling, even if she had no problem doing it. Ecidae Mandrill's death (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?56651-Corellia-Home&p=1045555&viewfull=1#post1045555) had made things harder; for all the dislike she'd had for the Duro when they met, the resistance fighters respected him. Mandrill had, for what it was worth, seen the Alliance support as something of value. That provided a bridge; a lifeline for the tenuous rapport she was working to strengthen.

It had all gone up in vapor with Mandrill himself.

Behind Screaming Beauty's flightyoke, life was a different story. Piloting through the vastness of space exhilarated her in ways that never seemed to dim. The emptiness contained no barriers, no moorings, no limits to her goals or her ability to reach them. Some days, she wanted to fly away and leave it all behind.

Her eyes slid from the datapad she was holding to the wrist of the arm holding it. Looking at the eagle dangling from the bracelet around that wrist, she knew she never would or could. 'Isn't that right, Ori?'

Karin half-heartedly tossed the pad onto the table and scrubbed her eyes with her palms. She needed a break, and safety be damned, she had to get out of this safehouse's backroom. If Corellian airtraffic hadn't been restricted for weeks, she would've rented a shuttle and seen the planet. But she couldn't.

It sucked. It all sucked. Every last bit of it sucked. She wanted freedom, and change, and she wanted it now, and dammit if her brain wasn't already looking for some way to beat the rules she herself had set in place.

Her eyes darted back to the eagle. There was a way.