Dangerous Bait

[Marielle Lafleche]

The continuous light of the Cluster did not penetrate the sea caves below the Kurh'n'dan of the Red Mother. Had there not been the soft glow of lamplight along the docks, it would have been pitch darkness, rendering most natural born Hapans blind. The entirety of Kris Bonnie's pleasure house was perched atop a seaside cliff, caves leading within concealed the madam's other business endeavors, specifically those of the smuggling and piratical nature. Presently a crew of mixed genders transported goods that had recently been unloaded from one ship, into the cargo hold of another.

It was more than she had expected, this shipment. It would fetch an impressive return once it was beyond the Transitory Mists. Beyond the Cluster there was a rising demand for costly Hapan made goods of all kinds. This kind however was from Sivoria. As in Sivorian minerals - vital to all Hapan weaponry. What was in the crates was not exactly a mystery to the captain who would be transporting and transacting their purchase, with haste she hoped. It was murky business, but profitable murky business at that.

Captain Lafleche sat on a sharp jut of rock above the dark water, digging under her thumbnail with the tip of an ornate dagger that had previously complimented her outfit. (https://i.pinimg.com/564x/dd/a3/07/dda30713713bb866b2aea0bc69cebe5c.jpg?b=t). When she heard boots on the steps above her, she glanced up only to be disappointed that it was not who she was looking for. Sighing, she leaned back on the heels of her hands, booted legs crossed waiting... She hated waiting. There was work to be done, and she was eager to get to their ship..

More footsteps. This time when she looked she caught a flash of red hair, the exact shade as the Red Mother's. Marielle smirked and hopped down from her rocky throne. "Vic.. I trust your sestra is well?"

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic was a wandered at heart and couldn't call many places home; but her sister's Fifth House was the closest thing she had to such a place. She was so freaking proud of Kris, and glad she had been able to grow under her wing, instead of simply the narrow carcan their family had tried to trap the sisters in. There was no trapping the Bonnie sisters. Anyone foolish enough to think they could had no understanding of who they were. Sure thing there were a food chain, and they weren't at the top, but they were damn good at getting as high as they could, especially given their love of not being in the spotlight of aristocracy and pure legality.

She had been perched in one of her favorite observation places when the Ducha of Sivoria had landed. She was very excited at the perspective of taking care of the goods that transferred through Kris's House. She was still a little surprised that she had accepted to join Marielle's crew for operations; after years of being a lone pirate, save for the occasional partnership. Granted, she trusted Marielle, and they had been friends for years. And the cherry on the top was getting to be a pain in Remy's ass. This was easy entertainment, but a girl needed some low-key fun at times. She wasn't as familiar with the new girl, Mithra, but for what she had heard, she seemed like a solid recruit. After all, Marielle didn't deal with incompetent.

The redhead (https://i.pinimg.com/736x/53/6c/8c/536c8c1f1e8578faf353da575afb4a89--steampunk-corset-steampunk-outfits.jpg) had got slightly delayed because she had briefly talked to Kris, and she may have stolen a few minutes helping a new recruit in training, with some pointers. The grin on her face and the bounce in her step may be telling, but she didn't care. Making her way down to the area where she knew Marielle would be, she smiled to the Captain.

"Marielle," she said with a polite nod. "Kris is doing fabulously. Today's money input is going to be juicy based on how loud that Ducha is."

[Remy Lafleche]

The business of shifting the Ducha Wlady’s cargo from one vessel to another was time-consuming, without the conveniences of a spaceport. There was nothing to be done about it, of course. The kurh'n'ta'a stipulated that any such business be conducted off the premises of her House, and the ample size of the sea caves made for an obvious base of operations. Remy had worked in better docks, as part of the Royal Navy, and worse ones, while on Shedu Maad. He would make do and adjust, as he always did. In much the same way as he would adjust, in time, to the new makeup of the crew.

“Ready to get your hands dirty, Victoire?” he asked, as he descended the steps behind Marielle.

[Marielle Lafleche]

The captain took one look at her lovely crimson-haired friend, noting the way her body was more relaxed then when she had gone up. The glossy, sated look in her eyes that might've been the drink - but probably was not, and the bounce in her step that implied whatever it was that had occurred, Vic had come out on top. Most likely in the literal sense.

"Right, which one is that Vic? I think your sestra is fucking more than one." Marielle smirked. She did not begrudge her friend, or any of her crew for that matter, the pleasure of grinding their bits with whoever tickled their fancy. She simply had no interest in it.

The taunting masculine voice coming down the stairs being among the reasons why. Every female, Duchas, Dukanas all the way down the ranks, they all had the same weakness. Remy flashed that damn smile of his and they all made complete asses of themselves. Even now, Marielle could hear it in his voice, this one directed at Vic. - and since she did love her brat, she would have to douse that fire before it got in the way of work. She needed them.. both.

"Don't provoke the kitty, Remy. She has claws."

Captain Marielle Lefleche had no intention of letting some idiot with a pretty smile get the better of her. Never in a million.

The teasing tone of Marielle disappeared immediately following her advice to her brother. There was a crash on the docks just down from them. Two of the crew, new-bloods both, had dropped one of the crates. It had broken spilling some of the contents, packing and guns both, out onto the docks in view of the all of the crew working the job, and many of the Red Mother's workers as well.

Marielle was pissed. Stalking forward with her displeasure clear on her authoritative face, she snatched both of them by the front of their tunics. "You had one job. Carry this without dropping it. Bloody useless!" Without further ado, the captain shoved them both over the side, into the dark waters likely inhabited with things other than pleasure swimmers.

Their splash was an audible echo which resounded as she spun on a booted heel already barking orders and taking command of the situation. "They leave the crew immediately when we return to Shedu Maad, the cost of that crate deducted from their earnings. Clean up the weapons, we can use them as demonstrations of their superiority, or as gifts to potential buyers."

[Vic Starfallen]

"That'd be the one who got all these crates for us to transport. She always goes for Ucha and Irala." She chuckled, feeling in prime mood and clear-minding. A good fuck always did wonders to her. Some people had this kind of haze or even brain fog after the deed; instead, she tended to be on top of any situation afterwards, including whatever happened with her sex partner or partners of that day.

Then she heard her birth name said fully, and briefly looked at who had appeared behind Marielle, although she knew full well who it was.

Ah, the legendary "I will make every Hapan woman swoon the moment I smile" Lafleche male. He had kept trying to rile her up for years, and it amused her. "My hands got dirty just fine a few minutes ago, Remiliard," she said with a grin, with that arrogance only befitting a Hapan woman who knew who the superior gender was.

She extended an arm as she had slowly moved, and slapped Remy's ass. "He knows very well I have claws. They just go elsewhere nowadays." He was hot and a decent fuck as she had established a couple of nights in the past; but not enough to keep her begging or even trying to wrap herself around him again. Hell, besiides his sister, she might be one of the few Hapan women not swooning whenever he pulled his charming number. That came in handy, especially so she could be on point the moment the bloody crate fell to the ground.

She was ready to tear these morons a new one, but, as always, Marielle did what a real captain was supposed to do, and tossed them to the water. Vic kept her eyes upon the dock workers who mostly scrambled to do what the ship captain told them to. She caught sight of a couple who still looked like womp rats caught in headlights. She grabbed one by the collar, and shoved him towards the damaged crate. "You heard the captain."

[Remy Lafleche]

The smack to his backside earned Vic a raised eyebrow from Remy. It wasn’t as if he was a stranger to such attention. It was an unavoidable truth, in the Navy and in Hapan society as whole, that women could treat men just about however they liked, without any repercussions. As the pirate crew fell a little outside of the cultural norms, however, Remy had been about to open his mouth and say something dry in reply, when his sister unceremoniously tossed two members of the crew into the water.

The sounds of their drowning gasps echoed off the cave walls.

“If you’ll excuse me, captain… I’ve repairs to check on.”

Remy dipped his head, acknowledging his sister’s authority, before he paced by both her and Vic towards their ship, where he knew their new mechanic was hard at work.

[Marielle Lafleche]

Generally speaking, everything about the location on Divora was damned favorable. If your voyage was legitimate, the hyperspace lanes leading through the Cluster were convenient, and being seen in the House of the prestigious kurh'n'ta'a who trained the sons of the wealthiest and most influential families of Hapes was always a good thing. And if your business was less than up to the standards of the Chume's Grace, it was an excellent location for that as well.. The sea caves that hid their ships, keeping their business concealed, were a definite benefit to be sure. As was having the sestra of the Proprietress on their crew. Vic's presence among them did not excuse the blundering idiocy of the crew though, Marielle knew. It was a bad showing of their standards, her standards, before the Red Mother. Kris Bonnie was not just a seasoned madam, she was a hub for all of the dirty dealings, secrets, and black market trade inside the Consortium, and without it would seem. And word traveled fast..

Marielle honestly did not care if someone fished the inadequate, wet, crew members out or not. If they sank, their share could be redistributed among the crew - minus the cost of the crate. That went without saying..

"Repairs, yes.. Do make sure we are ready to leave promptly."

"We've disgraced ourselves enough for one trip." The last was muttered somewhat lower, for Vic's ears alone, she was keeping the crew on task. Marielle made a gesture to her friend, a looping motion. Point being clear. Wrap it up.

There was a bit of a snarl about the captain as she stalked up the ramp of the shuttle after her brother, and within.

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic didn't give any further attention to Marielle's brother as he went aboard the ship; because she had more pressing matters to attend. They were on a schedule, and as carefree as she might seem at times, it was very far from who she was. She took things seriously went it came to keep her word, get things done right, and both Marielle's and her family's reputation. She didn't make a move to fish any of the crewmen that had been tossed in the water. If they died, at least it saved them to have to ship them back to Shedu Maad. She personally thought that having the local see monsters eat them would save everyone else's time and energy.

"Indeed," was all she muttered back to the captain, as she briefly stalked a couple of other workers who still seemed petrified. They got to work promptly, and she followed Marielle aboard. Granted, she couldn't help notice that it wasn't just because of the accidental mess that the brunette was tense.

She knew that Marielle considered that sex wasn't on her to-do list, but she really ought to be on someone's to-do list, because getting laid would do more wonders to the Captain than she might realize. Hell, she'd lend a hand if needed, or would be happy to have the crew captain pick a suitable male worker to satisfy her needs, next time they would be on Divora.

[Remy Lafleche]

Though the first to return to the ship, Remy was not first aboard. There was a bustle of activity in the ships corridors, the kind that forced Remy to step aside with his back pressed to the bulkheads on more than one occasion. This was how it always was, just before the beginning of a mission. Many of the ship’s crew had past careers in the Royal Navy and fell easily into the old routines of readying the ship, although with a little less decorum than the blue coats would have demanded. People flew about, eager to make sure that everything was in perfect order, to meet the Captain’s rigorous standards.

Remy found his way to the engineering bay, which was conspicuously quiet. Stepping into the threshold, he rapped the back of his knuckles against the wall, to draw the attention of the bay’s only current occupant.

“Madellé Sev’rata?”

[Mithra Sev'rata]

The voice startled her and she dropped her hydrospanner with a curse, the clattering sound echoing above the dull whirring of the ship's well kept engineering bay machinery. Stepping one foot back while simultaneously pushing her visogoggles onto the crown of her head, she cut a pristine smile at Remy as she leaned out. A thin leather mask still disguised the top portion of her face and a smudge of grease lingered on her right cheekbone. Hastily, she bent to pick up the tool and then moved away from the area of the bay she had been working in. She was dressed quite similarly to when she first met him; brown overalls that cinched tightly beneath her bust, a white crop top that teased a hint of her pale skin, worn leather gloves, and a pair of lace up brown leather boots.

She twirled the hydrospanner dexterously, coming to stop right before him. "Here you are then. Everything should be running smoothly for our departure. I've made some adjustments to the sublight algorithms..." A small time keeping device dangled from the strap of her overalls and she checked the other metric readouts displayed there. "Should be a more efficient egress from the planet's gravity well." She dropped the round device and it thumped against her plumped up bosom. Her eyes did a not so casual stroll along his frame, the corner of her mouth lifting in a grin. "What's next?"

[Remy Lafleche]

“The Captain will be pleased.”

As to what was next… Remy’s eyes dipped for a moment to the timepiece now nestled comfortably in the mechanic’s cleavage.

“The crew are still loading everything on board. Until we take off, you’re most likely free to do whatever you please. Barring any unexpected orders from the Captain.”

[Marielle Lafleche]

Some time later on the bridge of the Nova-class battle cruiser, Captain Lefleche stood akimbo, very much looking the part of a Hapan pirate captain. Serious brown eyes, listened to what her first mate was relaying to her, courtesy of the seller. Marielle had been under the impression that they would have to secure a buyer once beyond the Transitory Mists. That the Red Mother had the name of a potentially interested party made this job that much easier for them. All they had to do was meet him, and if all went well they could have a quick turn around. Which suited her fine..

"Then our path is out the Spine, and from there to the Perlemian Trade Route.", she commented, in response to what Vic had imparted.

Taking her chair, the captain looked over the charts from here to there, including who governed each section of space that they would be passing through. From her seat of authority, Marielle gave the order.

"Take us to Centares."

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic had been surprised when Kris had had a potential buyer for the Ducha's goods. Her sister was extremely crafty and resourceful; but Marielle's crew hadn't always had buyers lined up from the get-go. For sure, the younger Bonnie wasn't going to complain; especially since the route wasn't going to be that complicated. She had been studying the maps along her captain, as they discussed of the upcoming course of action. Vic was curious about this buyer, and hope that he would prove not to be a pain in the ass, as so many non-Hapan males could be. As a buyer, they couldn't just boss annoyances around as with dock workers; but she trusted Marielle to keep him in line if he proved to be an idiot.

When Marielle gave the order to go to Centares, Vic slipped in the pilot's seat, their usual pilot waiting in a nearby spot for the time being. The other Hapan woman knew that only Vic would get the ship away from the belly of Kris Bonnie's location. Once they would hit space and she would have personally reviewed the flight plan, the first mate would let their pilot do her work; but until then she would take care of their space craft herself.

Some people thought that Vic was just a loud mouth; often puzzled by her extensive skills, including great coordination, which came in handy in many aspects of her life. She seamlessly got the ship into the skies of Divora, enjoying the power of their ride.

"Your new mechanics did wonders with the upgrades," she remarked to the Captain.

[Marielle Lafleche]

Vic Bonnie might not have been from Divora originally speaking, but she had spent enough time there, out of all the crew she had the most experience of the unfriendly layout of the caves. Also, she was their best pilot, although some others liked to pretend otherwise now that Vic was in a position of command. It was opportunities like this that kept her fresh, and sated her desire for adventure with something other than another sexual conquest. The captain smirked from her seat, waiting until they had cleared the darkness of the caves, and the gravitational pull of the planet. Marielle was not a mechanical expert, but even she had noticed the ease of their departure..

"So it would seem.", Marielle tapped a finger against her lips thoughtfully. "I suppose I'll have to stop referring to her as 'the stowaway' if she's going to turn out useful after all.."

Rising from the seat, the captain departed for the officer's lounge. It should presently be vacant as they had only just taken off. When Vic was satisfied they were in good hands, then they could review the data regarding optimal routes, known patrols, and other such risks, making adjustments to their journey, as needed. But mostly, just to sit and talk without the rest of the crew in on their thoughts, Vic was her best friend as well as her first mate and it was a lengthy trip they were undertaking.

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic felt much pride in being Marielle's first mate by now; but flying their ship was still something she loved doing. And anyone who thought she wouldn't get personally involved in piloting the powerful beauty anymore, was sorely mistaken. Some may call her arrogant; but she just knew her value. She knew where her skill sets resided, and she was very willing to remind the crew of them.

She grinned to the Captain's remark about the new mechanics; and then couldn't help chuckling at the remark about Mithra being "the stowaway."

"Yeah pretty stowaways come in easy; but talented mechanics, not as much."

She remained focused on flying the ship as Marielle left for the time being. The redhead felt eyes still upon her; but no one dared speak to her unless spoken to. She had scared a bunch of them even when not officially Marielle's right hand; but it had only increased in the recent times. Vic liked that. Scaring people was in her DNA; and she felt unapologetic about it.

Once she felt comfortable letting one of their pilots take care of the upcoming flying; she left the bridge to go reunite with Marielle. It didn't take her long to get to the officer's lounge. Having some time to review the mission, and generally catch up with her friend was a welcome opportunity.

"Captain Marielle," she said with a cheeky grin, as she closed the door behind her. She walked up to pour herself a drink, before coming to sit down with the brunette.

"I think we may have to zig zag a bit more than usual; based on the patrols that are on our way."

While they were to remain in Alliance territory; their illegal cargo meant they had to keep a low profile anyway. It could be annoying; but it was part of the deal.

"Do you have any preferences in terms of alternate routes?"

[Marielle Lafleche]

As was their custom, they settled business first. One of many reasons she was the captain, Marielle took her job seriously. She did not hesitate to act, not even if the situation required acting without mercy. Her position demanded it, otherwise a crew run out of Shedu Maad would never follow her command. The occasional display of 'Why not to cross Captain Lefleche.' was good for maintaining a measure of fear. Bringing them home richer, and with just a bit more of the Galaxy than they'd had before joining her crew, kept their appetite for more both sated and hungry.

Marielle sat with her legs tucked up beside her on the bench. Before her on the table, a blue holographic display of the Cluster, the tradition route leading out not a possibility. What should have been a simple jaunt, just leaving the Cluster was showing with multiple problems, countering too many variables. Most pressing among the threats, the Hapan Royal Navy. She took a sip from her mug before setting it down, her hand passing through the image briefly.

"Alright let's try this.." In her lap, she worked on her tablet, creating a new route, but each time she tried, she got the same results as Vic had. Exactly, the hologram hardly changed.

"So we're resolved then. We can go hasty, or smart. The only thing we lose with the later is time. With the former, we might lose all. It's to be the long way 'round, Vic my dear." Again, she sipped from her mug of tea, which Elle would bet was not what Vic was having.

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic knew that a few crew members had enough ambition and blind idiocy to try to get the position of First Mate or even Captain. They would all bloody fail. Nobody had ever come through her friendship with Marielle; and Vic had no want to be the Captain. She had worked to get to First Mate; but that was it for her. She recognized that her friend was perfect for the role, and she was more than happy to support her in any capacity. Maybe it was because she was the younger sister in her family; but Vic trusted both Kris and Marielle more than anyone else. And as much as she was one hell of a dominant bitch, she had no interest in being a leader. She loved scaring the shit out of everyone, and she'd end anyone threatening either the crew or her sister; but she liked being second-in-command. She felt she could do her best work there.

And yes, she felt very proud when Marielle didn't get any better results than she had going through the map. And on cue, Vic was pouring herself a second drink. She could drink about anyone under the table. It took way more than a few drinks for her to be unable to do her job right.

She crossed her legs and leaned against the back of the seat, grinning at the Captain. "Well, y'know, quickies are only one option. Taking your time can be wicked fun. Building up anticipation can make for the most amazing fireworks," she purred with a wink to Marielle.

Looking back at the holographic display, she mused over options. Setting her glass to a side, she borrowed the tablet from Marielle and triple checked the alternate routes she had come up with, only adding a couple of tweaks for easier jumps.

"Alright, what do you think?"

[Marielle Lafleche]

The fact that her best friend was a trained Fifth Daughter, made sure that while Marielle might personally lack practical application of various sex skills, she had certainly been apprised of most all of them. Unavoidable really as the subject always managed to come up, even when charting routes through hostile space, it would seem.

"I'll keep that in mind, should the situation present itself. You may depend upon it."

Captain Lefleche looked suitably skeptical. She had no intention of disgracing herself for a pretty face, and no intention of settling for just anyone. It was a self imposed impasse she found herself in, but it worked for her. Kept her eyes on the prize, as she so often found herself explaining.

"Not our usual route, and it will take slightly longer but.. yes. This will do. Inform Ensign Marchand of the alternate route and let's be underway. Nothing will expire, but I just as soon return home soon. Your sestra's friend Vankar will just have to wait another day or so for his damn silk.."

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic had never understood Marielle's decision to keep herself from bedding anyone that might be to her liking. Yet she had never pushed her friend to change. She respected Marielle's choice, just as her wild lifestyle didn't pose a problem to the Captain. While their sexual attitude vastly differed, they shared values and life views so much that their friendship had never risked faltering because one was celibate and the other a "serial fucker" as someone had once called Vic, which had made her laugh much to the poor soul's embarrassment. Vic was shameless, so good luck to anyone trying to have her feel any such emotion.

She gave a nod to Marielle's words, a slight grin curving her lips because she took another sip from her drink, relaxing a little as they had settled for the alternate route that would eventually take them to Centares.

When told to relay an order, Vic got to her feet at once, downed the rest of the liquor and took her empty glass to a counter. She chuckled at Marielle's observation. "I've no idea how Kris found about Vankar; but at least he has good tastes. Pity I heard he's monogamously attached to some fancy musician. I heard he's hot."

Vic had rolled her eyes at the monogamous bit. That baffled her as much as Marielle's choices; but to each their own. She had plenty of options even aboard the ship, ranging from old times partners to upcoming conquests.

"Anything else you need me to relay?"

She waited for Marielle's answer, before scampering off to speak to Ensign Marchand.

[Marielle Lafleche]

"That the Red Mother has contacts beyond the Cluster embroiled in her intrigues does not surprise me. The promptness of the contact wanting exactly what we're bringing is convenient, but it seems she needed a crew just as we needed the work. If it were not your sestra I might have had second thoughts, but I trust her not to screw you, and you not to screw me. Cheers."

The captain lifted her mug of tea to her friend as she was leaving. "Nothing now. Have them inform me of anything of note that turns up in conflict with our approved route.."

Just as her First Mate would have left, Marielle stopped her. "Vic, one last thing, yes. The stowaway. Mithra.. Give her an official position on the crew, if it's her desire to stay. She can upgrade whatever she likes, as long as she runs it by you or Remy first. I'll be in my quarters."

Captain Lefleche finished her tea, before also taking her leave.

It should be an uneventful journey to Centares.

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic gave a solemn nod to Marielle's observation about the chain of trust from Kris all the way down to their crew. Vic trusted both her sister and her captain, more than anyone else, which meant a lot given how little trust she bestowed upon most individuals. She operated well in chosen groups, but she was highly skilled at relying on her own self. She was territorial at heart, so no gods could save someone who crossed a person Vic Bonnie cared for.

"Will do."

When Marielle stopped her one last time, she quirked a brow and looked at the brunette. She grinned devilishly. For what she had observed, Mithra was a valuable recruit, one of the best they had added to the crew over the past months. "I will speak to her."

With one last nod, she departed the lounge.

In no time, she had delivered word to the deck crew; meaning she was now headed towards the engine room, where she hoped to find the "stowaway" as Marielle had once nicknamed their new mechanics. The first one she checked showed no sign of her target, so she cycled through multiple locations of choice for Mithra to be, eventually finding her going through files on her datapad near one of the storage rooms.

"Madellé Sev’rata," she purred as her intense eyes fastened on the gorgeous mechanics. Her eyes traveled up and down with lingering persistence before she looked at the other woman in the eye. "The Captain has been satisfied with your work since you have been aboard the ship. I have personally noticed some of your most recent upgrades."

Vic walked closer to where Mithra was, and she leaned against the nearby crate, her body brushing against the mechanics' as she did so. "How do you feel about a permanent position?"

[Mithra Sev'rata]

'Free to do whatever she pleased' was exactly the position Mithra fancied herself to be in. Gem like eyes glittered behind the natural leather of her mask, roving over Remy as though he very well might fit that bill. When was the last time she had observed such a fine male specimen? She could not recall. Her life had always been a more sheltered one until recently, considering her status as heir and her mother's paranoia; not completely unfounded, come to find out.

She took another step closer to him and truthfully, she had already been close to him. She was short but she didn't seem to mind tilting her head back to toss him a flirtatious wink. "I have a few more things to look over, of course. You are welcome to stay and watch, if you'd like." She invited with a purr, promptly pivoting on her heel and stalking deeper into the engine room.

It was there, some time later, that Vic would locate Mithra. Tucked away in one of the many storage rooms, her deft fingers rapidly tapped away at the datapad scrolling feedback from the ship's inner workings. One hand braced against a desk of sorts and her somewhat disheveled hair spiraled around her heart-shaped face, which promptly angled toward the aperture of the storage room as a new presence alighted there.

Her hand abandoned the datapad and her body turned, the small of her back resting against the edge of the desk and palms re-positioned rearward to support her. What the hell, did only sexy people crew this ship? The beautiful woman's compliments made her grin; really, if she was a puppy her tail most certainly would be wagging. Her talents were often disregarded in her normal day to day, it was nice to hear what good they were doing for once.

The woman drew closer, the subtle brushing of bodies prompting a shiver. Really, she shouldn't be allowed to say the word position. It was devastating to her girly bits.

"I would be delighted to stay on. This is the most fun I have had in years!"

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic realized it was the first time she had got such a good look at Mithra. The woman's looks were a delightful match to her technical expertise. The redhead was nevertheless sincere in the praise she offered. While she had no problem manipulating her way around; she valued being honest, whether nicely or in the most terrifying ways, when it came to Marielle's crew. Things had to run smoothly, and frankly that gorgeous stowaway was the best mechanics they had had in about forever. She deserved to receive compliments.

The First Mate was very happy to see her offer met with such enthusiasm. "Very good."

She subtly shifted her position, and brushed her fingers against Mithra's thigh closest to her, before resting her hand just below the blonde's utility belt. "I am very glad you are having that much fun, and would be very glad to contribute." If by now Mithra hadn't heard about some of her antics, then she hadn't traumatized the crew properly in a while.

"I want to make sure that this new position suits the crew's needs."

She paused, letting her words sink in for a small moment. "Captain Lafleche is open to you doing what you see fit with the ship as long as you run it by me, or by her brother." Remy's puppy looks at Mithra hadn't gone unnoticed by Vic, and she couldn't blame him, despite that she considered herself a lioness instead. The Lafleche man-pet could continue play the sexy puppy part.

"I am inclined to have you as Chief Mechanics; unless you can think of another position."

[Marielle Lafleche]

3 days, and one rather thrilling encounter with the Hapan Navy's finest, but not fittest, later..

Expansion Region, Ghost Nebula


The Hapan Naval patrol had surprised them just as they were leaving the Cluster. Marielle would wager that they had surprised them too. They were good hunters, and probably they could have overtaken the other ship, but it was not a fight that Captain Lefleche was after. It was her way, never to enter a battle that she was not positive that they could be victorious about. In this case, engaging the Navy had little benefit. Better to leave them behind altogether, then make the necessary adjustments to their return trip.

That was how they had exchanged the Transitory Mists for the equally as occluded Ghost Nebula. It was familiar enough to their crew, but beyond the jurisdiction of the Hapan Royal Navy, for now..

Still feeling a little superior about besting the fancy Royal vessel, Marielle remained on the bridge, arranged in the captain seat like a pirate queen. She'd spent the trip furthering her knowledge regarding Centares, the man they were meeting - Vankar, and brushing up on her Basic. Another day, two at the most, and they would be arriving to their meeting.

Ensign Marchand approached, handing over a datapad displaying the most recent scans of the surrounding area. No Hapan patrols, but there was something. Another ship was out there in the shrouded nebula, not moving. Perhaps hoping to go unnoticed?

Marielle smiled.

The crew was a little tightly wound. The chase with the Navy had been exciting, but they were hunters, not merchants. That they were being well compensated for their run helped, but it was not who they were. They craved a bit more, or that tension might snap.

"Ensign Marchand. Set a course to pursue.", Captain Lefleche commanded, giving them the hunt they all wanted.

[Mithra Sev'rata]

A piece of sugar encrusted stormfruit candy dangled from between Mithra's lips as her lightning fast fingers danced over her datapad; currently wired into auxiliary mainframe. Occasionally, her goggle shrouded eyes darted to the feed she had set up to monitor the outside of the ship and the occluded mystery of the Ghost Nebula. While she had lived a very sheltered life since now, her extensive studies of the worlds beyond had filled her with a keen interest regarding the Umbarans and their technological advancements. The kind of advancements that would certainly improve the capabilities of this fine vessel she had been enlisted to maintain.

There was a slight crunch as she bit into the candy, her eyes lingering on the feed and her fingers stilling on the datapad as a starship came into view. Oh, how exciting! She sucked the remainder of the confection between her lips and kicked off the desk she sat behind; the spindly rolling chair gliding over to the comm systems.

"Captain." She chimed in, her tone barely containing her excitement. "I'd like to inform you that I've improved output from the tractor beam generator, S'emparer de Kurh'n'nor should be able to handle the inertial mass of a ship that size with no problem. Auxiliary systems are primed for your order."

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic had been viscerally tempted to go after the Hapan Navy ship they had run into when leaving the sector a couple of days ago; but she had nevertheless agreed with Marielle against trying such a feat. Not only did her Captain had the last say, but frankly, risking their precious cargo in a fight they weren't fully certain to win would have been foolish. And the fewer runs-in they had with the Hapan Navy the better, in the First Mate's view. She didn't fear them, but the quieter they kept their operation, the better it was for the smoothness of their business. Sure thing they weren't transporters as was the job they currently had, but it was side earnings that were substantial enough not to be frowned upon.

The mood aboard the ship was different since the escape maneuver though. They were all wanting - needing really - to find a target. Vic didn't fancy herself so much of a hunter, but she still like a good chase, and not just when it came to her sexual conquests.

When the isolated Umbaran ship showed up on their sensors, the First Mate found the tension aboard the deck almost palpable. They were all salivating over it, and she wasn't the last of them. She was standing right behind Marielle's chair when the Ensign spoke to the Captain. A devious grin formed on the redhead's lips although her gaze remained serious, when orders were given. She was about to issue certain orders, when Mithra confirmed what the tractor beam could do. She exchanged a look with Marielle, nodding in tacit agreement about the course to follow.

Letting Marielle give the word when ready, Vic spoke across the bridge after a few words with her longtime friend. They were now almost in range to grab the foreign ship but they wouldn't take any risk.

"Artillery, get ready to fire on my command. Primary target: their top and rear canons. Secondary target: their satellite dishes," the redhead called out.

She watched the display before Marielle, and right on target, she spoke next. "Fire."

They were almost in range to use the tractor beam.

[Remy Lafleche]

In the belly of the ship, there was a roar of approval at the Captain’s orders. The crew responsible for manning the S'emparer de Kurh'n'nor’s starfighter compliment were ready and eager to be in flight again, and Remy was no different. A dozen pairs of boots thumped against the deck as they all jogged to their ships, flush with the excitement and anticipation of what was to come. While the main guns could be counted on to cripple their quarry, there was no telling what kind of fight their wounded enemy would put up - or what bounty they'd find on board.

“Readying to deploy on your command, Captain,” Remy said, broadcasting to the bridge from the cockpit of his Miy’til starfighter as he worked through pre-flight checks.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Continued from Counterfeits and Counterparts (https://theholo.net/forum/showthread.php?57797-Counterfeits-and-Counterparts)...

Dasquian was doing a particularly good impression of a man who wasn’t especially confident about his Sabacc hand when the first laser fire thumped into the shields of the Consular-class cruiser. The force of the impact caused the Senator's ship to lurch enough that the card’s spilled from Dasquian’s fingers onto the table, revealing he’d been holding an unbeatable Idiot’s Array. “Frak,” Belargic swore, both at the fact that the game had been brought to an abrupt conclusion, just as he was about to win, and that a deafening siren was now signalling that Senator Vorasq’s ship was under attack.

“W-what?!” Quist Dala, the Umbaran Senator’s aide who Dasquian had been fleecing out of a good number of credits, looked wide-eyed, his chalk-white skin somehow looking even paler with sudden fear.

The captain’s voice, which had only an hour ago been as smooth as the flight to Umbara had seemed it would be, now had an edge to it as it sounded throughout the ship. “All passengers, be advised: we are under attack. Repeat, we are under attack.”

Dasquian swayed to his feet as he felt the rumble of another turbolaser impact crashing into the cruiser’s shielding. “No one panic,” he said, as he watched the impact of the captain’s announcement ripple through the nine other passengers around him. The effect was immediate, with one of the Senator’s aides bursting into tears and another fainting. “Or do panic,” he said to himself, beneath the sounds of their shouts and cries. “I’m sure that will help.”

“What’s that, sir?” Quist was suddenly standing beside Dasquian, one hand latched onto his arm like his life depended on it. Perhaps it did.

Dasquian offered a tight smile. “I said I’m sure we can help, Quist. There’s enough space in the escape pod for all of us. We just need to get everyone out in an... orderly fashion.”

Even as the words were coming out of his mouth, some of the political aspirants and academics were tripping over their robes to sprint off towards the cruiser’s lone escape pod. Elsewhere on the ship, Agent Di Scarra would almost certainly be facing the same dilemma of how to marshall the remaining eight passengers. It was reassuring to know that there was at least one other person on board who could handle themselves in a crisis, at least.

With Quist trailing behind him, weaving his way through flailing passengers, Dasquian jogged to the room’s comm unit, leaning in close enough for his voice to be heard over the din. “Captain, what’s going on out there?”

The reply came through a crackle of static. “Please do not distract me, Agent Belargic. I have this under control.”

“You do?” The communication line went dead. Dasquian swore, once again. Under the instruction of the Senator himself, the Umbaran’s had only barely tolerated the presence of two Alliance agents aboard their ship. Now, it seemed their pride extended to willfully ignoring those agents and their expertise in the face of potential destruction.

Dasquian turned back to the Senator’s aide. “I’m going to the cockpit. You get to the escape pod and launch it as soon as everyone is inside, understood? Go!”

[Alice Di Scarra]

Alice had spent significant amounts of time exploring the ship, committing the layout to memory for future reference. She had always been good at canvassing places and promptly learning her way around new locations, whether in space or on the ground. It had been drilled into her both as an agent and as a Sith. It had always proved useful, whether for menial tasks or life-changing ones.

For the most part, the Umbarans had little to no interest in speaking with her, so keeping to herself was an easy feat. She was curious about them, but saw no point in attempting to strike conversations when there was no direct need or request.

Moments before the first hit reached the ship, shaking it violently, she had felt a tremor in the Force. She was already on her feet, senses casting their net into the fabric of the universe, by the time screaming started. She had somewhat hoped that the Umbarans wouldn't be such crying womp rats; but her hopes fell flat.

She had already learned that the one escape pod was big enough for the number of passengers the ship contained. She didn't contact Bellargic right away, knowing he would likely herd the Umbarans to said pod from his side of the ship. Instead she focused on gathering, or rather coaxing, the ones in her proximity.

There was a reason why she dreaded children and pets generally: herding them was a pain in the ass, and these Umbarans were no real different, much to her dislike. Her potent dark side just wanted to leave them to rot, but it wasn't the job she had signed up for.

She nevertheless used a few mind tricks to accelerate the process, which still took more time than she had wanted it to. But she couldn't freely exhibit her true nature.

By the time, all Umbaran passengers were in the escape pod, she opened her comlink. "Escape pod loaded. Status report?"

She had sensed him heading to the cockpit and was heading this direction, but properly checking was the right thing to do.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“On route to the cockpit to check on the crew.”

Another impact pitched Dasquian sideways with force enough to bruise as he collided with a bulkhead. In the ship’s multi-comm station, the communications officer had both hands clamped over the earpieces of a headset as she struggled to listen to her equipment. Through an open doorway ahead, Dasquian could see the ship’s navigator standing before a holographic chart, arguing with another officer about the wisdom of an unplanned jump to hyperspace.

“Comm silence, sir,” the communication officer said, pulling Dasquian’s attention back into the room as he planted a steadying hand planned on the top of a nearby terminal. A quick glance at the Umbaran’s uniform and the pips on her chest told him all he needed to know: Alliance Navy, deck officer. Dasquian recalled her name from the ship’s manifest: Dalla Magre. With the Consular-class operating a minimal crew of only nine, the pair of junior technicians who might have been at her listening stations were already nowhere to be seen.

“You’ve received no demands?”

“None, sir.” Dalla’s face was grim, but composed given the circumstances. “I’ve jettisoned the distress beacons. I don’t know what else I can do.”

Either the ship firing on them didn’t realise who they were targeting, or they didn’t care. For their sake, Dasquian hoped it was the former not the latter. “You should get to the escape pod with the passengers,” he said, nodding back into the interior of the ship.

Without time to convince Dalla any further, Belargic turned and strode on through the navigation station, not pausing to interject into the argument between the navigation officer and her technicians.

“The navigation dish is too damaged to - hey!” called one of them after Dasquian, as he stalked into the cockpit. The captain stood behind the pilot’s chair, while the pilot and two co-pilots trying to work miracles at their consoles. Coming up behind the co-pilots, Dasquian ducked his head low enough to see through the main viewport - and his stomach lurched.

There was no mistaking the shape of the Nova-class battle cruiser ahead. “It’s not marked, is it?” he asked, the words out of his mouth before he’d had time to think.

“It’s a Hapan ship,” the captain answered, noticing Dasquian for the first time and skewering him with a glare.

“I can see that, captain,” Dasquian said, scanning for but desperately hoping not to find the Hapan Royal Navy’s insignia anywhere on the Nova’s distinct wings. “They know we have a member of the Alliance Senate on board, don’t they?”

“We’ve broadcast as much, but to no avail,” said the pilot.

“Let me try?”

“Why would I-” The captain’s face twisted in irritation, but Dasquian cut him off.

“I can speak the language. Just put me through.”

Grudgingly, the captain gave the nod.

When Dasquian spoke, it was in the rolling tongue of his homeworld. “Unidentified Nova-class, this is Dasquian Belargic aboard the Alliance diplomatic vessel Argentine. We are unarmed and have no cargo of value on board. Continuing to fire on this vessel will be constituted as an act of aggression against the Alliance of Free Planets.”

[Alice Di Scarra]

Alice carried on towards the cockpit. Now that all passengers were herded into the escape pod, they could focus on what was going on. Whenever the pod would launch wasn't up to her at this point. She had ensured that everyone was aboard and that all was ready to leave the ship safely. They had minimum crew, and while it would me fewer losses if things went badly, it might prove a problem if they needed certain things. At least the Director and her could be of assistance, given their training.

Access to the cockpit was already open and she saw Bellargic inside already, the crew's faces saying everything there was to know about how they felt about the intrusion. They stared at Alice but didn't try to stop her though. The moments she saw what ship they were against through the viewport, she had all the information she needed. It was Hapan and unmarked, which made her think it was likely a pirate ship. There had been reports of more of the kind deploying across the Cluster and right outside of it in the past months. She had read the reports, and tracked down one of them, eventually shutting the operation down. In her view, using some pirates, the talented kinds who had solid networks, could serve the crown; but she knew that not everyone considered the idea of actual corsairs a positive one.

When she saw Bellargic reach to contact them, she pursed her lips. Sure thing, he spoke the language, but frankly, he had been away from the Cluster way too long. It was a mistake to have the male reach out when everything else had already failed. She should have been the one to speak. While she tolerated men better than other Hapan women, she could only see his current behavior as a crass lapse of judgement.

Since they could only wait for whatever would unfold next, she kept her senses on alert, trying to get a grasp on how many people were aboard the larger ship. The fighters hadn't deployed yet; but she knew it was a very likely possibility. She hoped that she shields would hold on, and that the canons were still ready.

[Marielle Lafleche]

It was all going quite nicely, the ship could be all but crippled in another few minutes, if that had been their aim. Once scanned, the captain had a detailed holographic readout of the Consular-class cruiser displayed at her left. It was in no way a match for their own vessel, but there seemed to be a bit of a potential risk regarding the occupants. If they were so inclined.

"Ready on that tractor beam..." The captain leaned forward in her seat, dark eyes intent on viewport before her.

She watched, waiting, almost wanting for the other ship to do something so stupid as to attempt to run from them. If they ran, the pirates would pursue. Their guns, and then their fighters, would disable the vessel, rendering it of little value. If that happened, the occupants better pray, to whatever deity they worshiped in this system, that they had something of value to offer the crew.

That did not happen though. The hails from the other ship continued, the Basic broadcast throughout the bridge. The captain rose from her seat, pacing slowly with her hands behind her back. Oh, they understood what they were doing. They were taking that ship. The captain smiled at the communications officer, who likewise spoke Basic, as though they were sharing a private joke. They understood. They did not care.

The next voice to speak, Hapan and male of all things, stopped the captain's pacing.

Her eyes widened at the name. They could not possibly be this lucky. Almost stiff with disbelief, she turned toward Vic to see if the name had the same effect on her first mate, sharing a look with her, but otherwise silent on the matter.

At once, the captain held up a hand.

The guns stopped.

"Do not respond yet. Put me through, ship wide channel.", she commanded.

"Company of the S'emparer de Kurh'n'nor. You made me your captain because I promised you that I could deliver you more than the lovely but limited confines of the Cluster, and prizes you did not know you coveted. You shall have all of it, and more besides. On that ill-made bucket before our eyes, such a prize waits."

The captain waited for the commotion her announcement had made to still, before once again signalling the communications officer. Marielle held up a finger for silence as a channel was opened between them. Between her, and Dasquian Belargic.

"Bonjeu, Dasquian Belargic. The Argentine will be brought aboard and then I will tell you what is of value to me. Now, think carefully.. and then let me know if it's to be the smart way. If what you say is true, I'll send the Argentine on it's way with nary another scratch, upon my word as captain."

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic watched the proceedings with utmost interest, relaying orders when need be, letting Marielle do it herself when required. They had worked together for a good while, which meant that they had impressive sync as Captain and First Mate. It wasn't lost on the crew, which was one of the reasons why the good ones stuck around. They had a true leader whose right arm also knew what she was doing. The fact that they most often saw things eye to eye helped make things progress in the right direction, including when ready to capture a worthy prey.

While they didn't speak of it, the redhead was hoping they would get to hunt that ship down. The thrill would be ramped up and the crew could use such things. What wasn't her surprise when a male voice eventually took over the rattling in Basic, and spoke fluent Hapan. Yet it wasn't what caught her by most surprise, even though her expression remained focused.

Bellargic was a name she was quite familiar with, just as Marielle was. The look they exchanged said all they had to on the matter. This changed things, at least partially.

She only grinned when Marielle spoke to the whole crew, and she enjoyed the cheerful reaction. They might not have enough details yet to exactly know what they would get from the capture; but what they already knew sounded promising.

[Dasquian Belargic]

The firing had stopped, at least. Now, Dasquian could hear loud and clear the screech and wail of alerts as the Argentine’s systems reported cascading failures. Shields at a critical capacity, communication relays non-operational, sensors unable to read any data. Fortunately for everyone on board, the short-range communication equipment remained operational. When the sound of the Hapan captain’s voice filled the cockpit, the Umbaran crew exchanged confused looks at the sound of the unfamiliar language. Dasquian glanced back at Agent Di Scarra, whose expression was frosty to say the least.

“What is she saying?” the captain asked.

“Either we allow a boarding party to inspect the ships contents, or they will continue to fire on us.” Dasquian held up a hand, stalling another protest. “If we can delay long enough, there is a good chance an Alliance patrol will hear the distress beacon. Without help, the Argentine has a snowballs chance on Mustafar of getting out of here.”

Shifting back into his native tongue, Dasquian reactivated the ship-to-ship comm. “Will you guarantee the safety of our passengers, madellé captain?”

[Alice Di Scarra]

Alice found the whole thing extremely bizarre. She saw no reason why the Hapan pirates would make such an offer to them, especially after having spoke to a male. They had them in the palm of their hands, and had no reason to offer security to their passengers. She remained silent, for it was clear that Belargic was handling the conversation for the time being, and there was no need to add a well-founded albeit slightly petty argument to the situation.

Her only thought was that his name had somehow caught the pirate's attention. She realized it was a far-fetched explanation, but he was Hapan and had been away for many years for the little she knew about him. And who knew what the hell his family had done in the past. She had never come across any Belargic before in her years of working for Hapan Intelligence, but the Cluster was quite vast and unless she had reasons to study or keep tabs on a family, her time and energy were better invested elsewhere.

Ensuring the passengers remained safe was their priority, and that was what Alice would put her efforts towards.

[Remy Lafleche]

"Company of the S'emparer de Kurh'n'nor. You made me your captain because I promised you that I could deliver you more than the lovely but limited confines of the Cluster, and prizes you did not know you coveted. You shall have all of it, and more besides. On that ill-made bucket before our eyes, such a prize waits."

In the ships hangar, the pilots of the starfighter squadron were practically bouncing in their cockpits.

"Are we good to go?" said a voice over the squadron's internal comms. "That sounds like a 'go' to me."

"Just... wait," Remy cut in. His fingers curled tighter around the steering yoke. Whatever they'd had the good fortune to find aboard the 'ill-made bucket', the captain certainly had a high opinion of it. The last thing they needed to do was charge in, half-cocked. Marielle had given her brother seniority over the squadron, on account of the experience he had gained serving in the Royal Navy. As much as they were lawless pirates, Marielle knew that they had to be prepared, to be focussed and strategic. She would give the signal when it was time for the squadron to deploy, and they wouldn't leave a second before it.

[Marielle Lafleche]

Standing behind her chair, waiting for the inevitable response, Marielle's hands gripped the back of the seat until her knuckle bones looked ready to pop through her skin. Her dark eyes never left the viewport, asserting all of her will on this one objective. Silks. Guns. Businessmen and credits, all secondary concerns to her.

When Dasquian's voice returned, the captain smiled, a slow savory expression. Not at all predatory.

"May Ereneda strike me down if I break my word, nary another scratch. Everyone stays put, and the Argentine will be on her way in no time.", she promised again.

So, so close now.

"Best tell everyone to hold on.", she suggested.

A nod from the captain, and the communications were cut off.

"Madellé-Chief Sev'rata, if you please? Get me that ship."

Captain Lafleche was almost certain that instead of a reply from their Chief Mechanic, she heard the crunch, inhalation of, and coughing out of.. candy? Even still, the Argentine was quickly tethered to the S'emparer de Kurh'n'nor in a beam of brilliant blue light. Marielle was a skeptic, but their newest addition had once again proven her worth.

"Stand down, Remy. We're coming to you."

Finally she let go of her seat, turning to Vic. "Let's go."

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic was following how the whole situation unfolded, ensuring that nothing went awry while different stations and crew members followed orders. She was also personally keeping a discreet eye on Marielle, the strong emotions the Captain concealed to the trained eye, definitely taking a toll on her friend. Vic knew that Marielle would handle it as she always did: with a good facade and solid results. But as her First Mate and longtime friend, Vic couldn't help feeling protective, even when she kept that to herself, sticking to the professional aspect of their partnership.

She waited in expectancy the moment Marielle ordered their new Chief Mechanics to use the tractor beam. She was satisfied that Mithra had been given an official position on board, and had wasted no time in ensuring that once the Captain had told her to do as such. Mithra was a remarkable addition to the crew.

The moment her friend turned to face her, she nodded to her, falling in stride as they left the cockpit.

[Dasquian Belargic]

The inescapable lance of tractor beam struck the Argentine and by slow degrees, the cruiser began to drift towards the wing of the Nova-class.

“The Senate will hear about this,” the captain said.

“I’m certain they will, and from Senator Vorasq himself, who won’t have been blown into space dust as a result of his captain’s unwillingness to admit defeat,” Dasquian said, turning then to look toward Alice and shifting from Coruscanti-accented Basic into his native Hapan. “If you have any contacts in the Royal Navy, now would be the time to call them.”

“Do you mind? We can’t understa-”

“What’s going on in here?” asked the communications officer, poking her head in the cockpit door and interrupting the captain.

“We’re being abducted, Dalla,” the pilot answered, dry as midday on Tatooine. “By… Hapans?” he added, glancing expectantly between the captain and the two non-Umbaran’s. Dasquian nodded.

“Agent Belargic invited them to come aboard,” the captain added, his tone far less even. “Next, I expect he’ll be suggesting we all… tie each other up, so it’s less of an inconvenience for these people to take us prisoner.”

Without turning back to face the captain or missing a beat, Dasquian said, “Maybe you ought to gag yourself, captain. Just to be safe.”

He turned his gaze over the faces of the crew, looking to each one in turn.

“They’re coming aboard, invited or not. This way, we at least get the chance to negotiate - which is rather difficult to do when you’ve been launched into the vacuum of space through a hull breach.”

[Alice Di Scarra]

The Umbaran general hissy-fit was ridiculous. They could have been shot dead, the whole ship a decaying ruin, if the pirates had decided to do so. Alice knew the model well, and that said a lot about the resources these pirates had. It was more than the usual raiding crews she had helped taking down in the past.

At Belargic's question, she shook her head. "If they didn't monitor our communications before, they are doing it now. If we try to double cross them now, we're ruining our chances of negotiations."

She did have contacts; but not only were they outside of the Cluster, they would likely set any alarm off because given the surprising but solid strategy of the pirates, she knew better than try to pull a dashing card from up her sleeve.She

She glared at the Captain still being outright annoying. "I'll gag him myself if need be," she snapped. There was something about the way the brunette carried herself that made the Captain recoil, and she didn't even have to rely on the Dark Side to make that happen.

Then, she looked at the Director. "Your name caused them to change gears. Give me the short version of why it might be, Director." She didn't care she sounded demanding; she needed any information she could glean before they met with the crew, especially as she might have to pull some weight in as a woman.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“You’re Hapan Intelligence. You tell me,” Dasquian said, with a huff of laughter. “My brother is - was - a Commodore in the Royal Navy. My father was a pirate. Ishara Alastor publically denounced my family as threats to the throne. I’ve spent the past decade as a known terrorist and enemy of one of the largest military forces in the Galaxy, with my name and face on bounty boards from the Core to the Rim. There are… any number of reasons why this captain might know my family name.”

“Ah, sir,” Dalla Magre held up a hand. “Sorry. Is there… anything I can do? Should we try to.. reel in the distress beacon?”

Dasquian shook his head, glad at least that the communications officer was still level-headed. “No. If they’re concerned about it, they’ll shoot it out of the sky. Otherwise, we stand by the fact that the ship is too damaged to pull it back in.” There was a possibility, of course, that the beacon had already been disabled. The Argentine’s systems were in a sufficiently damaged state that it was difficult to say with certainty whether the sensor readouts were reporting accurately. Still, they could hope.

“With no disrespect to your professions, anyone whose skills aren’t absolutely necessary to keep this cruiser afloat should join the passengers in the escape pod. I’m sure they would feel reassured by your presence.” At this, Dasquian looked around the rather crowded cockpit. The pilot and co-pilots remained in place, but at a grudging nod from the captain, the navigator and junior technicians shared a few uncertain words in their native tongue before slipping away.

“Captain, would you care to join us at the docking hatch?” It was a courtesy that had to be offered, Dasquian knew.

“Yes,” the captain squared his shoulders. His ash-white cheeks had lost some of their colour. Either he was calmer, or his anger had cooled into something more controlled. “I should be the one to bring them aboard. This is my ship.”

Catching Alice’s eye, Dasquian gestured towards the cockpit exit. “Lead on, then, captain.”

[Remy Lafleche]

"Stand down, Remy. We're coming to you."

“Stand down,” Remy echoed, relaying the message through to the cockpit of each starfighter. There was a general murmur of irritation, audible even through the fighter’s already sealed cockpit canopies.

“The captain is going aboard,” Remy said, popping his ships canopy and standing up out of his seat. “Two of you, out. Decide amongst yourselves who, but do it before the captain gets down here.”

[Alice Di Scarra]

Belargic's behavior was one of these occasions where she understood better why the Consortium was so deeply matriarchal. Men always had to make it about themselves, even when their lineage wasn't as wildly advertised as it might have once been. She had worked for years for the Hapan Intelligence and she was damn good at her job but the Belargic name had never landed in her files, for she had been too busy dealing with an assortment of pirates and other terrorists. The list of known terrorists as he had put it was quite vast, and priority order changed over the years.

But the information meant that contrary to the new wave that had been most of the pirates she had had to uproot over the years, these ones might have direct ties to the Belargic family, either as allies or as rivals, which might make the Director more interesting as a Hapan than as an Alliance Agent.

She didn't bother say a word, and simply nodded. As much as she was glad she had taken the direction of serving the crown in the Intelligence Department, she missed the straightforwardness of the military at times. She hated how agencies could play game to fluff some higher rank egos. Belargic's identity had been hidden from her until she had met him, and she knew from what she had picked of her briefing with her own superior that it was a joint decision. It was petty and ridiculous and led to waste of time in crisis situations where it could have been averted.

At least the Director's decisions to have as many of the crew members as possible joining the delegates in the escape pod was a sound one. Hopefully the pirate would keep her word and let the passengers and crew go freely. She would ensure it was the case. She had seen pirates have actual morals and others make careless promises just for show.

As she fell in stride with the Director as they headed to the docking pay with the Captain, she knew she would find out soon.

[Marielle Lafleche]

Captain Lafleche and her First Mate did not stay to watch the progress of the Argentine towards their own ample hangar bay, confident that their commands would be carried out. They could be a lawless bunch, but when it came to business they were quite focused on taking what they wanted. In this case, the Argentine.

"Probably not what the crew had in mind in terms of a prize, I admit. But once we're done with him, I'm sure he's worth a lot to the right person. Maybe multiple persons.."

There was a mercenary lack of caring in the captain's planning.

"With a man that level of wanted, we could have a bit of a competition for who gets him.."

They had time to discuss exactly how they were going to handle their new guest for the time being, as they made their way from the bridge to the bay. Time enough to catch up Remy, who Marielle knew would also be delighted to know who it was they had just had placed in their collective greedy grasp.

Time for... Captain Bonnie to take point on their first introduction.

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic loved the idea of selling a man-pet to the highest buyer; but she also realized that they would keep me to themselves for a while, and drag him back to a certain place. This was proving interesting, and she was looking forward to see the look on his face when he realized the extension of the mess he had got himself too. Maybe he had ran away from the Cluster for a good many years; but his luck was turning, and Marielle and her were going to make sure he realized that.

She couldn't help grinning as Marielle explained her devious plan. That was one of the reasons they were close friends. While Vic was the proud harlot, they were both nevertheless machiavelic and fed off of each other. Their pragmatic streak also ensured that their evil plans remained practical to execute. And knowing each other as well as they did helped any charade to look seamless.

That was why as the crew stepped inside the hangar bay, Vic stomped in first, the sound of her boots a contrast with the feline energy emanating from her. Her eyes fell upon the trio held at the bottom of the boarding ramp. Besides the Umbaran who seemed both annoyed and helpless, she caught sight of the woman, Hapan by her beautiful features, and of course the Belargic man-pet. She wouldn't be able to call him as such, because it would sell them out, but he just would have to wait.

He looked bony and there was something about the way he carried himself that showed he had been away from the Cluster way too long to know what was good for him.

"Welcome aboard the S'emparer de Kurh'n'nor. I am Captain Bonnie, and here is my first mate Lafleche," she said with her natural confidence, gesturing towards Marielle.

Her attention turned to the brunette, before narrowing back at Belargic.

"I see we have two Hapans to negotiate with, especially one of them. Granted, Belargic, you have forgotten much about the rules of politeness among our kind."

[Dasquian Belargic]

A dozen or more retorts came to mind, but Dasquian swallowed each of them and was left with a tight, humourless smile on his lips.

“Madelle Captain, this is Captain Gehant of the Argentine,” he said in crisp Basic, making the short but necessary introduction between the two commanding officers. As he did, his eyes danced for a moment over the faces of the other Hapan crew, noting their features, their postures.

“I’m certain that Captain Gehant would appreciate you conducting any negotiations in Galactic Basic, as is the standard in Alliance space,” Belargic added, a none too subtle reminder of their current location and its place outside of the Hapes Cluster.

For his part, Captain Gehant stood with his shoulders squared and a formidable scowl firmly spread across his face.

[Alice Di Scarra]

Alice observed with acute attention when they met their welcoming committee. There was something off about both women. It was difficult to say why without prying deep into their brains; but the Agent had the inkling that there was something they were not told, maybe more than a little bit.

There was no tension rippling from either the redhead or the brunette, which the Sith took as a strong bond between them, which would have to be taken into account when dealing with them. It might even be useful, she mused to herself, while Belargic was the one speaking.

She wasn't shocked that they chose to speak Hapan over Basic, regardless of the Director's observation. She truly doubted that standard law was of much relevance to the crew, given their occupation. She couldn't help wondering how the Director could expect differently from Hapan pirates.

She waited in silence, standing still and confident. She had the inkling that she would come into the conversation quite soon.

[Marielle Lafleche]

At Vic's side, Marielle made her own quiet assessment of their trio of negotiators. For certain, the situation had become very interesting. This was not their usual way of conducting business. There was no amusement in her eyes though, as they touched upon each of the Argentine's delegates, lingering on Dasquian only long enough for her eyes to narrow.

When her name was mentioned, she gave a curt nod to identify herself, but said nothing. Her fingers flexed where they rested, lightly at her hips.

Ahhh, that was classic Victoire.

Marielle's attention returned to the Acting Captain. Vic Bonnie might be a saucy pirate today, but once she had just about been a lady. She came from a fine family, and that was something inherent that could not be concealed with any alias she, or her sister, might have taken. Command came effortlessly to her. Probably in all situations. It was tempting to grin at the way her friend, no...her captain was already set upon tormenting their catch of the day, chiding him for a lack of Hapan graces.

At least he seemed to know enough to not sass the Lady Captain back..

Captain Gehant of the Agentine did seem very put out by the whole ordeal. If he realized what would have befallen him had things been different.. Had they not heard the name, Dasquian Belargic, and altered their plans. It was absolute certainty that his situation would be much more severe now. The man should be kissing Bonnie's boots in humble gratitude for his head being yet attached to his body.

"Oh, hear that Captain? Alliance space, here and we had no idea..." The First Mate's dark eyes rolled briefly to the vaulty hangar ceiling above them.

"Separate them, I say..", she advised, all humor gone from her tone, replaced with steel. "Interrogate them one by one. Start with the woman. Obviously she's the only one with any sense."

[Vic Starfallen]

Belargic's retort left Vic unmoved. Her Hapan pride ran deep, back to her days raised as a Lady. She saw none of her education and career as lesser than the life she had left behind to embrace her wild but strong nature. She had values, different that what might have once been expected of hers; but she was not to be trampled over, and certainly not by a man-pet who was going to be a prisoner for longer than he might think.

She briefly caught how Marielle's eyes lingered too long on the bony male though. Most others would have missed it; but Vic knew Marielle as if they had been raised together. Certain times she dared say that she knew Marielle better than she did her own sister. As close as she was to Kris, she recognized the extensive deviousness of the older Bonnie, something she deeply admired; but that could keep them apart to a degree.

As for Marielle's brief but deep gaze upon the Hapan male, there was something there she didn't know what to make of. It concerned her though her expression didn't betray any of her inner thoughts.

Marielle's remark about Belargic's demand about them speaking Basic, was perfectly on point.

"You insult my geography, Director," she retorted flatly in flawless Basic.

She nodded to Marielle's suggestion, which she knew was a disguised command, about separating the trio. She wholeheartedly agreed with it, and had already come to a similar conclusion.

She ordered, reverting to Hapan, two female crew members to escort the Umbaran captain; and two male ones to dispatch Belargic. If he still remembered enough about his birth culture, he would recognize the insult right there.

"First Mate Lafleche, will you escort Lady..."

She looked at the brunette who had remained silent so far.

"Alice Di Scarra," she replied with a nod to Vic and Marielle.

"Will you escort Lady Di Scarra to an appropriate room where we will speak to her?"

Marielle would understand that Vic was planning to double check that both the Umbaran and Belargic were appropriately locked up out of habit, before reuniting with her Captain.

[Remy Lafleche]

It had been difficult for Remy to believe until he was confronted with the truth of the situation: Dasquian Belargic standing before him, a few well placed steps away from becoming his sister's captive. As Vic, in her guise as the captain, began to split the Alliance crew apart for questioning, Remy’s eyes never left Belargic’s face. What was he expecting to find there? Some… familiarity, some sense of recognition? Years ago, in a life that felt so foreign that it was hard to see as his own, Remy had served alongside Commodore Aaron Belargic in the Hapan Royal Navy. The Commodore had been a difficult man to read and now Remy wondered whether it was a familial trait, as he struggled to place the expression on Dasquian’s face.

“Shall we begin our search of the Argentine, captain?” Remy asked, looking away from Dasquian at last, his eyes shifting between Vic and Marielle.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Interrogate them… Dasquian pursed his lips as two male members of the crew came forward to restrain him. He watched without objection as the pair placed binders on his wrists. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d escaped from pairs like this before, a fact that he kept well and truly to himself.

The prospect of interrogation didn’t scare Dasquian Belargic, who had spent years in the custody of the Imperial Inquisition. While Captain Gehant was clearly furious about the situation, Dasquian didn’t fear for the Umbaran captain either. His military training would serve him well, and the information that he could surrender under interrogation was… unlikely to be considered valuable to pirates. As for Agent Di Scarra, she had been schooled by Hapan Intelligence; there was no reason for Dasquian to be concerned on her behalf. It was, however, noteworthy that Captain Bonnie had called her lady. For all their flouting of Hapan tradition, the pirate crew also seemed to be curiously bound to it.

The two male crewmen took Belargic by the upper arms. “We could make this process a good deal faster if you’d tell me what it is you’re looking for, madelle,” he said, addressing Captain Bonnie.

[Marielle Lafleche]

"At once, Captain."

The First Mate complied, stepping forward to provide escort to.. Lady Di Scarra.. it would seem. The lack of bonds placed on the sultry Hapan woman provided a sharp contrast to the way Dasquian was being treated. Let him think on that a while.

Almost pleasantly, Marielle gestured before her with a bit of a flourish. "If you would be so kind, ta'din..."

Her dark eyes touched her brother's for a moment as she passed. It was a good day for them, a very good day. She heard his question regarding the Argentine, but left it with Vic. Marielle knew what her own orders would be - Seek and Destroy any beacons the Argentine might have sent out - but she was committed to her part for the moment. This ruse worked because she trusted Vic with command of the vessel. The wench knew what she was about.

First Mate Lafleche led the way to the preordained meeting room. A conference room really for the Miy'til starfighter squadron, where Remy did his best to maintain order. Dasquian's destination was much more secured, of course. Away from his sight now, Marielle smiled, tasting her victory as the doors closed behind them, so she could negotiate the details with a sensible Hapan lady.

"Ta'din Di Scarra, have a seat. Allow me to welcome you aboard our enigmatic vessel of fortune. I am, Captain Lafleche. Forgive my deception, trust that I felt it necessary for my own reasons. Your Captain Gehant will be treated to a quiet respite and returned to you in the same state he left, my interest is no longer in the ship, it's cargo or in any further violence.", she began.

It was not promised that she would not return to those very measures, were her demands not met - and she only had one..

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic was curious to see what Marielle would tell the Hapan woman who was accompanying Belargic. She would find out soon enough. It was a blessing in disguise that such a traveling companion happened. It might make their lives easier. It wasn't that any of them, she guessed, had any issue with doing whatever they saw necessary to keep their prey and deal with him personally; but a Hapan woman would probably know better than most outsiders.

She looked at Remy, and gave it a few seconds to see whether Marielle wished to step in or not. When the brief pause brought nothing, she answered at once. To most onlookers and the strangers, it would only look as if she might have needed the shortest time to consider her options.

"Search the whole ship. Look for beacons. Destroy any you'll find."

Her tone left no room for argument, which worked with her posing as Captain, and that she knew Marielle well enough to know what to do.

She fell back into her First Mate's role as soon as they brought Ta'din Di Scarra to the meeting room. She remained silent from then on, waiting to see how the other woman would respond. Standing close by Marielle, she was once again her vibrant shadow.

[Alice Di Scarra]

At this point, Alice couldn't do anything regarding the Director or the Umbaran Captain. When it was clear she was the one the Captain had chosen to speak to first, the Hapan agent wasn't that surprised. Even from Theselon, she still understood too well how women prevailed over men in the Consortium in most occasions. While they weren't on Hapan ground, they were aboard a Hapan ship. That equated to the same kind of things, regardless of where said ship was located.

The brunette nodded to the First Mate's invitation to follow them towards whatever room they would speak. Of course, she was still very much on guard. The Sith was no fool, and knew that pirates could be very treacherous, even though she didn't feel ostentatious deception from either women, even though she still believed something was up.

Once they reached their destination, she took the offered seat. Upon the revelation that the actual captain was Lafleche, she kept her expression neutral; but wasn't surprised. That explained the whisper she had sensed in the Force. It also confirmed her impression that both women were incredibly close. That was something to keep in mind.

"Well met, Captain Lafleche," she replied with a curt nod. No reason to be unpleasant to her hostess.

She listened to what was said about the Captain, and the ship at large. What was left untold was obvious.

"We go unharmed, as long as I leave Belargic with you."

It wasn't a question. She would have to figure exactly why, even though a myriad of options were possible.

[Marielle Lafleche]

"Something like that.." Likewise seated, the captain smiled, crossing one booted leg over the opposite knee, relaxed now that she had this almost tied up with a bow.

"He does not know us, but we both know him." Marielle angled her head toward her First Mate.

Before she said more on the subject of their one prize, Marielle needed to know just who she was dealing with. Information could change a person's entire day, she was finding.

Her cheekbones still round with her feline smile of victory. Somewhere on board her ship, Dasquian Belargic was being secured and guarded until she and Vic got there.

"Tell me, ta'din what it is you are doing with the likes of him? He's been wanted for treason since the reign of Ta'a Chume Ishara."

Determining what Alice Di Scarra's business with Dasquian was, and what her role in the Consortium was, may change things.

[Alice Di Scarra]

(ooc - skipping Vic for this round)

Alice observed both women with acute focus. Her cybernetic eyes provided details normal Hapan eyes didn't, but her Force skills also gave her a way to assess a situation that only enhanced her spy training.

The Captain was fairly confident, potentially to a fault in certain other circumstances, she thought. Yet it was hard for her not to have the upper hand at the moment. And Alice knew that it might play in her favor, for she wanted to ensure all the Umbarans left safely. Belargic was a whole other matter, and while she didn't wish him ill at all, she also understood that sometimes sacrifices must be made.

It also made much sense that she was asked what the matter was with her own dealing with Belargic.

"My superiors assigned me to work with a fellow operative, from the Alliance agency, who turned out to be Belargic."

The Consortium having aligned itself with the Alliance could still baffled Alice; but politics weren't her field.

And she had been kept in the dark about her collaboration with Belargic, which still didn't sit well with her, and might make her willing to hear the pirates out about their own purpose for the Director.

[Marielle Lafleche]

Marielle did not know the woman, but she could feel the weight of her scrutiny. She did not miss a thing this one, Alice, and the captain tucked that knowledge away for now. She was shrewd herself, having gleaned some of the picture, even before the word operative filled in the rest of it.

"You're a spy." The confirmed her understanding with a nod. "Good."

"I'm sure the crew would lose no rest over a bloodbath, the kind with no witnesses left to carry the tale.", Marielle looked to Vic for verification on that point and was not disappointed.

"But I think a Hapan spy and an Alliance Director both missing might rouse more attention than we would like. While certainly capable of violence, my crew are not savages. They know when to fight, and when to.. make a deal." The captain's cheeks blossomed once again with a smile.

"Belargic comes with us. You, The Argentine and it's crew may continue on. In return, I can offer myself as a viable source of information regarding the pirates crews of Shedu Maad."

It was breaking all the unspoken codes of their pirate haven, but Marielle did not care. If a few crews found themselves at the Chume's mercy, it would only benefit them.

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic stood by Marielle's side, as always. Now that the masquerade was over, it made sense for her to let her Captain lead the discussion with that Hapan spy. The way the woman had been silent and observant had made it clear she was likely a spy of sorts. She was glad to get confirmation. It made their life easier to be honest, because not only was she Hapan but she must have brains. Not surprisingly, Marielle had the same reaction.

She held her friend's gaze and nodded at the mention of a bloodbath. She wouldn't spit on such a feast herself for sure. Yet she had to concur with Elle that they didn't want unnecessary attention drawn to them.

What surprised her was that the woman before them seemed totally unfazed at the mention of a bloodbath. Vic thought she almost saw the hint of a grin pass on the brunette's face. There was something unsettling about her. It wasn't just some Hapan arrogance that they had all earned as women. It was something else, although Vic didn't mull over it much, for she was more intrigued by what her Captain had in mind.

What Marielle offered for the deal shocked Vic, although she kept her expression unchanged. She had learned to do that years ago, not just when nobility had been drilled into her, but especially when becoming a Fifth Daughter at her sister's establishment. She was damn good at presenting how she wished.

She got to admit, she liked it when Marielle showed her devious side. It was a damn smart idea, that could get rid of extensive competition, for Shadu Maad had quite a few pirate crews. That was brilliant, and Vic wasn't going to lose sleep over breaking some unspoken codes of piracy.

[Alice Di Scarra]

There were always so many options as both a spy and a Sith, when caught in a dangerous situation. Ironically, Alice had grown used to hide her Force powers for so long that she mostly used them in order to get information and discreetly up her physical and mental performances, rather than grand shows that would right away betray her true nature.

Keeping secrets was as important as trading them, which was a significant part of her job.

The idea of a bloodbath actually amused her, because even if the extensive crew could eventually overcome her, the two woman facing her would be dead way before she got a broken bone, and she could do that without exerting much energy. But let them be cocky, for the enemy thinking they had the upper ground tended to be the first to fall. She had seen that many time.

She slightly tilted her head, her eyes still upon the Captain, at the mention of a deal. Now things were getting interesting.

She listened quietly, taking everything in. She was particularly interested at the mention of Shadu Maad. The Force had a quirky sense of humor really. Some of the elusive pests she had been tracking were from that planet.

"Belargic is personal to you."

It was no question, but a statement. Given how much the Captain was putting on the table, it was obvious to her. She had no interest in prying further. She could get the crew away safe, and get some solid info.

"You have a deal, Captain Lafleche."

[Marielle Lafleche]

Marielle sensed it too, although she did not react to it. There was something dangerous about their new friend Alice. Something in the way she had shown no emotion, until the suggestion that her crew might enjoy the slaughter of the Alliance vessel. Then she chose to betray the barest hint of a grin. Either she was nuts, or she knew something that they did not. Both options made her dangerous, but 'Elle was dangerous too. From the dagger at her hip, to the blaster secured beneath the table, aimed at the lovely Hapan spy, she was taking no chances.

Typically she did not. This business with finding Dasquian Belargic was making her act in all kinds of ways contrary to her normally pragmatic manner. She did not like it..

"Personal. Yes." A twisted grin of her own curled the captain's rosy lips.

"Excellent, Ta'din Di Scarra. I look forward to working with you in the future." She would make good on that offer, and rid herself of some unwanted competition in the process.

After giving Alice Di Scarra the means to contact her in the future, she showed her back the way they had come, returning her to the hangar and The Argentine.

"Bring Captain Gehant back to his ship, they will be free to go as soon as he boards..."

[Vic Starfallen]

This Di Scarra spy was dangerous, maybe borderline psychopath, Vic mused to herself. There was something unsettling about her; but the First Mate didn't let it show in her body language. Her upbringing had made sure she had a perfect sabacc face, as well as treacherous posture when need be. This meeting was definitely among such occasions.

She knew too well what getting their hands on Belargic meant to Marielle, Remy, and herself. Yet the way her friend threw caution to the wind to make that deal was quite surprising. She trusted Marielle's judgement though. Getting rid of competition wouldn't hurt, and the fact Belargic was their prisoner without too much fuss, which she found baffling, was a true win. She could understand that Di Scarra likely wanted to take care of the Umbarans, and that as a Hapan, her appreciation for males, especially loud-mouthed ones that had strayed from the path too long, was minimal. Yet there was something off, though for now they had what they wanted, so she was fine with that.

She accompanied Marielle as they escorted the spy back to the hangar. She trusted their teams to have handled any beacons aboard the Argentine, so they would be able to be on their way soon enough. Once they ensured that the Umbaran delegation was gone.

[Alice Di Scarra]

The two women were dangerous, as pirates could and should be, Alice mused. Yet she had no fear of them, even with them likely be ready and willing to attack her, if they thought there was a need to. The Hapan had seen enough in her life already to know when to be scared, and now wasn't the case. On the contrary, she thought that these two were clever enough to be useful in the future, and gaining leverage where she could was part of her work as a spy.

And as a Sith, casualties were part of life. Maybe if she had worked long enough with Belargic she might have considered him more important than the Umbarans to save. It wasn't the case in her mind. She went to save the greater number, which would alleviate marks on the new classified documents populating her records.

Also gaining more intel on more pirates would prove useful, because she knew that her superiors had been adamant about getting their hands on a couple of elusive ones that were from the Shedu Maad area. And should Lafleche fail to deliver, which Alice didn't think would be the case given the impression she had gleaned from the Captain, Alice could always change plans and go after them. Truthfully, Alice thought that Lafleche would prove more useful as a resource than as a target.

After obtaining contact information and returning to the hangar, Alice waited for the Captain to be brought back. He was fine and in one piece, still in a disastrous mood; but the surprise on his face as he saw Alice was obvious.

She waited for him to return aboard, being the one standing behind last. She nodded to both Captain and First Mate.

"I will be in touch, Captain," she said in lieu of goodbyes, before heading aboard the Argentine.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Oblivious to the goings-on above deck, Dasquian stood inside the cramped confines of the ship’s brig. The two crewmen who delivered him to his cell had ostensibly taken up watch outside the cell, though in practise that involved sitting down at a table opposite the cell’s entrance and talking in low, conspiratory tones. The buzzing of the energy barrier sealing Dasquian into his cell made it difficult to hear what the pirates were saying. Instead, he watched the movements of their lips.

“Excuse me… could I trouble you gentlemen for a drink?” Belargic asked, taking a step towards the energy barrier. He could feel the slight shift in air pressure as he came closer to it, the hairs on the backs of his arms prickling in response to the charge in the atmosphere. From this position, he couldn’t tell whether there were other prisoners in the brig.

[Marielle Lafleche]

Captain Lafleche watched the Hapan spy board the Umbaran vessel, just after it's own captain. The deal was struck. In the future, Marielle would at some point throw some of her contemporaries beneath the wheels, so to speak. Ridding the pirate haven of Shedu Maad of a few rival crews would make the profits all the sweeter for the ones that remained. They should be thanking her! for her good, mercenary, sense. In return, they had themselves a delightfully fated prize in their hold.

A less disciplined version of Marielle might have immediately skipped from the hangar to the brig, to then stand victorious just on the other side of the barrier, the hunter and the catch.

Instead, her stride was the same steady pace she always maintained, Vic at her flank as they approached, but did not enter the brig. They took over the small cramped guard's station adjacent to the cells, watching a feed of the one occupied cell. From there they were able to communicate with the guards within the brig, without being seen by Belargic, for now.

They arrived just as The Argentine departed, it's communications still down, beacons destroyed, but on it's way unharmed, as she had promised.

"Give him nothing." Their captain's voice was an adamant command.

Standing back, arms folded across her chest in a rare gesture of stubbornness, Marielle watched the image of her prisoner.

Scowling she swung her dark gaze toward her friend, and First Mate. "I think... he makes me a little queasy or something, Vic."

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic was surprised that Marielle didn't go straight to the brig. While her friend could be the calculative kind, her behavior had been unusual for a few details since they had realized Belargic belonged to them. The First Mate was greatly satisfied with the catch for sure, and got a kick out of knowing he was their captive and looked forward to the look on his face when she would let him know about certain truths; but she was still a little puzzled by her Captain's overall choices.

When they were in the control room instead of the brig itself, Vic quietly observed Belargic for a short moment. She was relieved when Marielle refused to give him anything. That was how it was supposed to be. They would keep him alive for sure, but on their own terms.

She soon returned her attention to Marielle and scrutinized her body language. If there was one thing that Vic knew how to recognize, it was desire. She had learned to read even its most subtle signs, and her friend shockingly exhibited several of them, and some maybe not that subtle.

What Marielle told her only comforted her in her analysis. Since they had privacy in the control room, Vic told her as she saw it.

"Out of all available Hapans you had for all these years, you are lusting after a bony specimen who's been straying from the path for way too long."

She was certain of her assumption. To most people, it might not be obvious but she was educated as a Fifth Daughter, and had known Marielle for years.

"If you must go this road, at least make sure you break him well enough he services you properly."

While she couldn't understand Marielle's attraction to Belargic, she wanted to make sure that her Captain would receive proper attention.

Anything else was unacceptable.

[Dasquian Belargic]

When his request was met with leering silence, Dasquian nodded. He turned on his heels, away from the energy barrier to the three other durasteel walls that made up the holding cell. It was a relatively clean space with walls untarnished by graffiti or stains; it didn’t look like the type of place where prisoners were taken to die. No, the captain and her crew wanted him alive, and probably wanted to leverage his captivity for the thing that motivates all good pirates: money.

“You know, you could make a good wage in the Alliance Navy. Better than whatever you’re making fighting for scraps out here.”