A Force Of Her Own

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Koorivar
-Tooka Town-


The denizens of Tooka Town watched in cautious silence as the Selonian and the Slicer walked among them. The midday wind had pushed away the patina of haze and smoke from the sky, catching the Pasha's shantytown in an almost cartoonish light that threatened to oversaturate colors that were more comfortable being hidden in drab and shabby hues.

As the Pasha's litter emerged from his palace to meet his guests, the litter-bearers slowed at the sight of the grisly parcel clutched by one of the Selonian's paws. Gripped by the center eyestalk, Vissica carried a Gran's severed head. The uncovered remaining two eyes stared unfocused and glassy in askew directions. A bloated, dry purple tongue hung half exposed from a fly-dotted mouth. Fortunately there was no blood. The Gran's neck began and ended in a cleanly cauterized edge.

Lady Vissica slowed her pace to a halt. She held her prize forward for the Pasha to inspect it.

"Galrak Resk. Chief of the Gaktuul Syndicate."

A minder quickly rushed ahead with a basket to discretely cover the frightful head, and Vissica tucked it away without ceremony.

"You are a woman of your word."

A miniscule nod. "I am."

The Pasha preened his wispy white beard slightly. "And I assume there was a substantial amount of recovered valuables from the Gaktuul?"

Vissica's tongue pressed to her nose briefly and retracted. The Pasha took that silence as an affirmative, and one that he should not press against. After all, their agreement had been that the recovered riches were the cost of ridding him of his enemies.

"That makes you an honest woman, and possibly a wealthy woman." The Pasha raised one bushy eyebrow. There was a reason Vissica was here again other than to present the head of his enemy. No, they both knew he could independently confirm that she had done as she promised to do. No, no...this Selonian wanted something else.

"How may I show my hospitality to such a guest?"

Vissica glanced briefly at Saidra, then back again at the Koorivar crime lord.

"I wish to purchase a ship."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Weren't easy being on display and standing aside a giant murder fluff, but Sadie was getting plum used to weird dren going on in her life. 'Course that meant she was gonna stand there, arms crossed over her chest and head cocked off to the side like this whole situation, especially the part where she and Vitt had come to some shiny agreement and she was now on her onesies again with the Imperial again, didn't go and vex her none. At least they were rid of the gorram galaxy cursed head. Gross as it looked, the smell'd been parsecs worse.

Yep, one syndicate downed. Sadie's actual bosslady might even have been proud if she ever learned of the gig. Though that'd bring up a whole heap of questions and right now, the only employer - even the sort that was only paying by letting her keep breathing - that went and mattered to the likes of the slicer was standing right here. Matatek Sel Vissica weren't the worst boss Sadie'd had, not by a long heap. Least this one didn't lie every other breath.

That ship thing, though. Now that went and threw Sadie for a right loop. Surely as one of them Knights the Selonian had all sorts of access to whatever rides she wanted. So why in all of them hells that the Corellians believed in did Vissica go through all the trouble with the syndicate to get her paws on one?

Welp, weren't Sadie's place to ask, and that oh-so-fleeting look of confusion with the raised eyebrow and all that she'd let peek at the Knight was put to bed right quick. After all, this weren't about payday so much as survival. And sometimes, just sometimes, Sadie knew when to keep her damned mouth shut.

At least, so long as they were in front of the Pasha.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

A day later



"This is adequate."

Vissica stood with Sadie before the gangplank of the Lancer-class pursuit craft that dominated the ship lot. The vessels here were sturdy and serviceable, but not beautiful. This particular ship was a quilt of mismatched body panels, indicating that at some point it had been chopped and put together from multiple Lancers. The motley look belied what lay within, however.

"An untraceable registry, class one hyperdrive, reinforced tractor beam, heavy blasters, and all of the, ahem, special requests you mentioned."

Technical jargon wasn't the Pasha's area of expertise, and he went down the list with disinterest. What was important was that his guest was satisfied. The Selonian pivoted her torso behind to face him.

"Good."

The Koorivar crimelord was used to her terse, spartan words. That was practically glowing praise.

"I trust this settles our most recent arrangement?"

Vissica glanced back to the ship, then back to the Pasha.

"See to it that I find no further reason to investigate your delivery quotas to the Empire."

The Pasha slowed the hand stroking his silken white beard.

"Of course, my Lady."

Vissica turned back to Sadie, gesturing towards the gangplank of the waiting ship.

"Come."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie couldn't help but go and let one of them low whistles leave her, even as she went and brushed a half-gloved hand against a rusted looking spot just outside the airlock.

"Y' sure know how t' pick 'em."

Truth were, Sadie weren't sure what to go and make of the ship, or the motives that the Imperial had for wanting such a thing. There was one of them sinking feelings forming in her gut, the kind that told you that you were in a mess of trouble, but she'd learned how to ignore them things when it was on the side of advisable. Yeah, she was probably gonna pay for it later, but when was that new? The thing of it, the real issue, was that Sadie'd gone and developed a shy level of trust towards the Empire's furry instrument of death. Probably was on account that the slicer was still breathing and all, but there was a bit there that she couldn't help reckon if there was more to it. Weren't kinship or nothing like that, but there was something. Maybe it was just as simple as Vissica being a boss of sorts, but then again...

"Mean that, by the way. Ain't sure what y' got planned, but if there's one thing I've gone and learned 'bout ships like this here bird... Uglier they come, better they run."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The Knight paused, momentarily unsure what to do with Sadie's praise-of-a-sort.

"Aesthetic must always be subordinate to function."

She said it in a matter-of-fact manner, as if to say the sky was above and the ground below.

"Selonians have no talent for art."

Vissica crouched, eventually touching all four paws on the deck to clear the entrance. She appraised the crude but functional surroundings with a series of glances.

"If a thing cannot speak for itself, it risks irrelevance."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"'Fraid we're gonna have t' agree t' disagree there, y're Knight-ness."

Words left her half mumbled, no fight to them, but just enough edge of conviction to let the Imperial know she was making a point. Sadie'd been around the galaxy plenty to know different cultures had different ideals and thoughts on things. But thinking art didn't have no purpose? Well that was a new one. Every race and being she'd ever run across had some version, even if it made no damn clear sense to her. Was one of those things Sadie had an appreciation for, even if she thought the squiggles could have been replicated by an infant with a jar of ink or the tune genuinely wanted to go and make her ears bleed.

"Art's always got some sort of relevance. Even if it's only understood by jus' maker of th' thing."

Sadie let out a quick breath, more of a puff of air to make one of them dismissive but not really dismissive sort of sounds, the kind that went and often got herself in trouble with her old boss back in the day. Didn't stop her from doing it, though.

"Sometimes, aesthetic is th' function," she continued, voice inching all that damn nearer towards actually taking some sort of stance. Time for a shift, then.

She went and waved one hand all non-committal like to their surroundings. "An' sometimes, well, if we're lucky an' the Pasha didn't go an' screw y' over with some sort of gruffle here, y' luck out an' get both."

Sadie should have gone and let it stay there, waited for Vissica to rebuttable the whole art thing; but she'd probably opened some sort of can of worms there and well, starting to have the Selonian grow on her or not, one look was all it took to remind the slicer of exactly what the Empress' Knights were known for and how much Sadie personally had a reason to keep things on the level with the one she was stuck with.

"So, of all things y' could have gone an' asked the Pasha for, why this? Don't the Empire go an' provide your kind with enough transport?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Saidra's defense of art was unexpected, and the reasons behind them left Vissica perplexed. It reminded the Selonian of the rare times in her past when she had reason to speak with a sister of the First Caste, who were trained from birth to understand and thrive among these aliens. Though Vissica had learned an impressive volume within two years, she was still woefully short of understanding these people and the irrationality that drove them.

Before the Knight could digest the slicer's rebuttal, she moved onto a more salient observation. One that Vissica was equally uncomfortable discussing.

"The Empire's resources and reach are vast, but they are not infinite. This ship can travel where Imperial force projection cannot."

Vissica passed a forepaw over a section of bulkhead, feeling a seam of peeling paint that flaked away to her touch.

"You will learn to pilot this craft."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Any sort of argument that wanted to go and form died before it ever even reached the possibility of being spoken out loud; shot down by all sorts of rational rebuttable that made Sadie wonder just who in the frak side that little internal voice of hers was on. After all, weren't your conscious supposed to talk you out of helping the Bad Guys? Weren't like there was a load of credits in it for her, neither! What there was, on the sad side of reality though, was a whole heap of loads more precious things: safety of her family for one, though her own well being and freedom were probably somewhere near the top of the list too.

Even the snarky arse question of, Well who'se gonna teach me, you? Didn't survive the onslaught. After all, when it came down to it, she was in the massive minority of folks within The Exchange when it came to those who either owned, flew, or were outright Captains of their own ships. Lessons would be damn easy to come by. The questions that went along with asking for them though? Well... that was something Sadie was gonna have to figure out how to navigate through later, problems for future her to worry about at this rate.

Was something about the whole business that didn't settle, new skills being needed aside, and Sadie felt the hum of distaste reverberating in her throat before she realized the sound was actually going. Apparently her conscience that missed that little bastard.

"So y' need someone t' go where th' Empire shouldn't be an' y' need someone they can't trace back t' y' folks..." She let the statement trail off, the clear dislike of the matter and the damn bantha in the room of the word scapegoat being all sorts of hinted at but not really said.

But then again... Maybe, just maybe there was something else. Something miss 'ol murder fluff here didn't want spoken out loud.

"Or maybe, it ain't th' Empire that needs th' stuff done. And it ain't th' Empire that's avoidin' takin' blame if things go south?"

She probably shouldn't have gone and said it, but it went all the same. After all, didn't the Knight go and say she didn't lie? And well... if they'd gotten this far without the slicer bein' dead yet...

"Just wanna clear th' air here. Who am I gonna be pilotin' this 'ere ship for? The Galactic Empire and it's Empress, or you?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The air between them drew still and quiet as the Selonian twisted back to regard her underling with an expression she couldn't put in human context. Vissica's brows and muzzle didn't crease along lines that would telegraph anger, but her doll eyes seemed to sharpen their gaze, as if the look itself could cut skin. A dull thump of her tail lightly tattooed against the decking.

"The cockpit is this way. Follow me."

The Selonian slinked back to four feet, and trotted ahead.

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Sadie crossed her arms gave the Knight one of them knowing looks, even if Vissica weren't gonna see it on account of her back being turned and all. Probably best that way, really. Sadie had a feeling she was toeing one of them dangerous lines that really aught not be crossed and welp, as kind and the Imperial had been to go and see fit on letting Sadie continue to breathe and all, she probably should stop trying to reverse that decision.

So rather than call out the big 'ol Selonian on whatever dren she was cooking up, Sadie went and found herself barely containing one hell of an eye roll as she followed along deeper into the ship. Each open doorway was peered into, taking stock of the layout of the thing. Engine controls there, what looked like a quarters of some sort yonder, living area off that-a-way, big ol' cabin type here then, not just one but two damn escape pods. Nice. Weren't a huge ship, but weren't all that small neither. Cozy was a word that could have gone and been used for it, moderate, another. Was plain as day that it only needed one or two folks to run, though. Guess that was the point though, yeah? Some more peeling paint was eyed as Sadie paused. Yeah ok, so needs a bit of sprucing.

"This heap gotta name yet?" Yup, time to stick with some benign questions for the now.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The Selonian slinked into the pilot's seat, resting on her tail as she waited for Sadie to accept the unspoken invitation to take the copilot's position. Vissica looked over the controls carefully, acquainting herself with the function of this ship. While she'd learned to fly almost exclusively on Imperial ships, there were enough similar systems that the Knight could ascertain the function of the controls at her disposal.

Saidra's question, like so many the slicer had, gave her pause. Vissica slowed the pace of her forepaws as they began a preflight sequence.

"The custom of naming vessels is not a Selonian tradition. You may give this ship whatever name you wish."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Felt mighty odd to be plunking herself down in the copilot's seat and look over and have it be Vissica sitting aside her and not Vittore. Felt even odder than the controls in front of her weren't unfamiliar but weren't exactly in the spots they should have gone and been either. Wasn't something Sadie had gone and considered, even let a sit in her head, not until right then. Felt wrong in a way, right in another. Sadie'd enjoyed working alongside the hunter, but things changed and while Vitt weren't exactly gone from her life or nothing so dramatic as that, things had just changed. Then again, aint that what life did? Change? Trouble was, Sadie was liking this change a bit too much to be good for her and that made it all kinds of hard to decide if this change were for good or not.

She avoided putting her boots upon the console in front of her, even if her body had done a trick and had started making the motion before she could halt it. Made for an awkward little fidget, but it could have been mistaken for Sadie settling and trying to get comfy.

"Gonna need t' come up with a good one, then." She half mused to herself as she glanced around the cockpit again. "Thinkin' this lady's gonna be worth it."

A little bit of a heavy breath left her as she nodded and then turned her eyes back on the Knight. Yup. Change.

"So then, where we headed this time?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica pored over star chart data for minutes before answering.

"Set your course for the Chommel Sector. The Naboo system."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Naboo? The frell did the Knight want with that uptight prissy place? At least Bomis Koori had some style to it. Well, at least it was the sort of joint a girl like Sadie didn't go and stick out like she'd gone and dyed her hair a fluorescent yellow. Naboo, though? Well, Sadie hadn't never been there, but it had a reputation. Fancy-like, rich folks, children queens and that dren. More important than that was... well, one big damn issue and it didn't take no political adept to know it.

"Ain't that in Alliance space?" Sadie questioned, even as she was setting the coordinates into the navi.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"I do not intend to be constrained by borders."

Vissica's whiskers rose as she took stock of her co-pilot's mettle.

"This is not the only boundary I intend to cross. If you object, I have already explained the alternative."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Y' think if I had any problems with crossin' boundaries I'd be here?"

Was probably about the biggest piece of truth that Sadie'd gone and said to the Selonian. No half truths hidden in sidesteps or nothing like that, just Force-honest in whatever it said about her. True, Vissica didn't have that whole painting to go and judge by... but then again, didn't she go and say that art was something her kind didn't go and get anyhow? Either or, the statement probably could stand for itself given what tidbits she'd let on that made up a partial whole of who Sadie were; after all, weren't like she had any sort of notion on letting the Knight know the full of it. Nope, no thanks on that one.

"Was merely observin' that you ain't exactly gonna blend in there, y're Ladyship. And while us backwater folks may not have heard a whole heap 'cept horror stories 'bout the 'Empress' Finest', I'm guessin' folks in proper enemy territory might have some sort of dossiers on y', yea?"

She shrugged a shoulder.

"You Knights ain't exactly a secret, that's all."

A side squint was offered towards the Selonian and a half smirk cracked her lips at the thought of something too damned funny to not share. "Unless y' got one hells of a cover planned and one damn good outfit hidin' somewhere. Y'know, if we're goin' that route."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"All correct observations." Vissica pumped her head slowly in a nod of agreement. She arched a brow as the navicomputer finished the calculations Sadie began.

"Our visit will be brief and unorthodox."

Reaching forward, the Selonian pulled back the levers. The presently-unnamed Lancer pursuit craft blasted out of sight, hurtling through the ether.





The Naboo System
Hours later


A sharp snap of displaced space dust, and the pursuit craft returned to realspace, trailing beyond an outer planet in the system. Vissica quickly manned her station, flipping switches overhead in a concerted pattern.

"The ship's stealth mode is engaged. We can be seen, but our emissions are masked, and our sensors are set to passive. Unless someone has reason to look, we should remain undetected."

Vissica tapped a few more controls, and the control board at Sadie's station lit up in sequence.

"I've transferred primary control to you."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Black bones she needed a drink. Or a cig. Or both. While in hyperspace Sadie'd gotten up and wandered throughout the ship, getting a better feel for her new toy. The layout was familiar at least, so was her feel for the place. Yep, Sadie and the ship were gonna get along just fine and dandy... even if she weren't exactly giving any hints 'bout her name yet. Aw well, they'd have time to get to know one another better later. After all, she'd only started diving into the ships' computer systems; they were standard as far she could see, plenty of room to change that up.

Not now, though. Now she had different things to focus on... like not crashing. Okay, sure, she'd had some basic flying lessons, enough to move abouts here where there weren't exactly any subtle maneuvers needed to be made or small adjustments between life and death. When it came to landing and the like, the Knight would probably need to take control again, but for now... welp, practice was good whenever you could get it, yeah?

And well, at least they were stealthed so if she made any weird moves no one would notice unless they were looking at 'em. Bright side to everything, there was.

Switched were flipped and the controlled were taken hold of, probably a bit more tentative like than a new pilot should have done, but Sadie had gotten downright used to letting droids or someone else be in charge of this sort of stuff. Felt downright stupid to be a bit white-knuckled at this point, but it was probably because she was overthinking it. Time to fix that dren.

"So, plan? Keepin' me in th' dark don't exactly make for smooth sailin'."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"I will train you to pilot this vessel and become proficient with it. There will be times when I require you to act as my agent, and to do so alone. You must use all of your skills, including newly adopted ones if you wish to succeed."

A few keystrokes at her station, and Vissica plotted out a rough set of waypoints designed to carry Sadie between three of the outer planets, and around smaller bodies such as moons.

"Follow these guides. Make note of how the ship responds to you. It is fast. If necessary, you will be able to overtake most quarry."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Well that were a whole heap of info. Not exactly the stuff she was expecting, stuff that she could infer of course, but to hear it said with the honest gorram truth? Well, that made things a might bit more interesting. As far as what the Selonian had gone and laid things out? Well, weren't that something else. Lead of Data Acquisitions to some shadowy all seeing all knowing broker type and Agent to an Imperial Knight. Fit right on up there with Savior of the Force-Damned 'Verse didn't it? One of these days, when she was all old and boring, Sadie was gonna write a damn novel 'bout all this stuff. Would make for one hell of a story, that was for sure.

The way-points though? That was all sorts-a helpful and neat. Made Sadie go and wonder if her... if Captain Asael would have tried to teacher this way. That was, if Sadie got the nerve to go and ask such a thing. Should have been easy like, asking blood to teach something like that. After all, she'd asked her father for far harder lessons, hadn't she? Still... and for what all frakked up things it said, Sadie found the prospect of learning from Vissica far damn easier than ever asking her own mother for the help.

She steered the ship almost effortlessly through the first way point. Nice of the Knight to make them easy like at first. The second came similarly, and the third... well, it all kinda fell into a rhythm that Sadie could almost make a tune to. Now that she could understand. Made a girl brave enough to broach the bantha in the cockpit.

"Ain't exactly what I was referrin' t'. Meant more what we're doin' here. Naboo an' all."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"I required a location beyond the reaches of the Empire."

That was an explanation. Half of one.

"I have never been to Naboo. The homeworld of the Emperor."

The Selonian's words now were quieter and seemingly introspective.

"I wished to see it, even from afar."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Following the guides was easy compared to processing that whole heap of info. Almost made Vissica seem like she was sentimental. Sadie didn't have a full read on the Imperial, not by any means, but she hadn't expected anything even hinting in that direction. Even among a lot of folks, the Emperor weren't nearly as popular as the Empress it seemed. After all, Tarkin weren't exactly responsible for being in power and having any minions go blowing up any planets. A planet, it had turned out, Sadie had all kinds of ties to. Not that she were bitter 'bout that sort of thing; Alderaan was just a word to the likes of her. Her uncle though, her mum... well that were a different story, but Sadie weren't them. Still, must have been a downright sore spot for the Imps, having the planet of the guy who founded it all behind enemy lines and such.

"Ain't been there m'self. Can't rightly go and give any fancy introspection..." Sadie mused. "But I've been t' plenty of other places, and if Naboo is anythin' like the rest of the 'verse? Is just a place. Don't make a lick of difference if someone important were raised there or not."

She cast a side glance towards Visicca, trying to keep most of her focus on them points she was supposed to be flying 'bouts.

"Surprised y' put any importance on it, on him. Ain't y're -" Course corrections were needed right then and there. She weren't trying to make a connection, but like it or not, Sadie was kinda one of them now. "The Empress tryin' to put all his wrongs in th' behind? Though, her home ain't exactly beyond the Empire..."

Sadie didn't get it. Maybe that was her bad. There were places that should have meant something to her - Alderaan, Nar Shaddaa, Bespin... but they were just that. Places.

Talking helped, so probably did that piece of Sadie that came from her pops, but either way she had made the ship fly true through each and every bit that the Knight had gone and plotted, leaving them with a view of Naboo front and center in the viewport. She wanted to comment, not on the skills that came far too naturally that set her skin a-crawling, but rather on the importance that the Knight had gone and placed on the place. But instead, Sadie found one of them rare moments to shut her trap.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica fed the silence, taking the offered moment from Sadie to do as she said she'd intended - to view Naboo for herself. If pressed, she had to admit, she wouldn't have a conclusive answer as to the why of it. Sentimentality was not her vice, but there was some part of her that wanted to see the world that brought forth a man who ruled an entire galaxy. To see what such a place was like, compared to her own world.

"You are right." Vissica concluded, her small ears pressing back slightly. "It is just a..."

A passive sensor indicator beeped on her console, turning the Knight's eyes downward.

"...place."

Diverted back to practical concerns, Vissica looked into the source of the sensor contact.

"A ship is approaching. The vector isn't direct, and it doesn't appear to be an intercept course."

It took time for passive sensors to sieve more data without giving themselves away. Vissica made from the scraps what she could.

"A medium freighter, perhaps a transport. Correct your course here."

The Selonian quickly gave rough guides that would keep the Lancer well to port of the approaching vessel.

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Huh..."

It wasn't questionary so much as just a sound to be a sound, Sadie figured. Course the thought didn't occur to her until after the deed had gone and been done, though. Was always a strange thing, when trying to hide out in space and another craft came along. Space weren't a void, 'specially not here in the Mid Rim. Going along without seeing another soul? Yeah, that'd be the oddity. And while the approaching freighter probably wouldn't even take notice of another ship out here, never mind ask what it was doing, avoiding such things weren't exactly a bad idea considering the current cargo.

Reigns of the bird still felt odd in her hands, but Sadie made for the point that Vissica had made. Damn, this was too easy. She'd heard of Force-type-folks having innate abilities, and Sadie's damn sure came through with code and all, but piloting a ship - even if both her folks were downright proficient - was an alien sort of thing. Or, at least, should have been. Sadie didn't want to make it seem that way. Force knew she'd managed to avoid letting on her nature to the Knight so far and she no damn intentions of letting secrets slip if able to avoid it... but it weren't like she'd been set to hard tasks so far, yeah? And if any special type moved had to be made, well... she'd defer to the expertise of the Selonian rather than making a go of it herself, that was for damned sure. Last thing she needed to do was perform some miracle and then have to explain it. Nope, best to just be the middling sort she was. Force or no, full of surprises or no, Sadie knew had to be mediocre. Well, okay, slightly above, but that was on account of pride more than anything else-wise.

She still went and held her breath when the other ship came alongside though. Even if there were plenty of damn distance betwixt them... weren't that she was afraid of confrontation, hells nah. But there weren't no point in painting a giant target on a self, neither.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The moments passed without incident, and Vissica watched the Naboo ship's vector continue without correction. Now, they were behind them.

"Come about."

A few more adjustments were made, and Sadie's panel activated with new input.

"I have transferred the weapon systems to you. Forward cannons, a traversing heavy turret, and a tractor beam. Target that vessel. Destroy its engines, sensor cluster, and communication systems."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"What?"

It came out when it shouldn't have, and it only took one damned look at the Knight for Sadie to go and figure out this weren't a topic up for no debate. Fire on a Force-Damned transport that was minding it's own. Karabast. Kriff. Sunshine and wookiee cookies. Whatever you wanted it to take it for, depending on how you went and looked at it. This weren't in the damn plan. Or maybe it was. Hard to say when Sadie didn't have the damn plan and was doing as she did according to the wills and whims of one of the most feared folks in the verse.

She'd done worse. That was what Sadie reminded herself as she leaned hard into the controls and made the Lancer go about in a small circle until it trailed the other. Weren't the prettiest maneuver, but it got the job done alright. She offered a glance towards the Knight, hoping - prayin' - to get some sort of alteration to the instructions; one of them Haha, kidding, you pleb! Moments. But it didn't never come.

Well, at least she weren't blowing the thing to the Corellian Hells and back, right? Right?

You've gone an' done worse. One more mental reminder, something she'd have to keep with her as she flicked a few more switches, saw the targets go and light up on a display, and launched the gorram assault. Comms down first so as not to allow them to go and holler for help. Sensors next because frak any chance of them figuring out where the dren this was coming from. Then engines. The Lancer had no issues keeping up and when all was said and done it was over so damned fast that Sadie almost felt bad for them... and worse, felt a twinge of pride in how her ship had done and made it possible. Frak it all.

Still, she weren't exactly smiling when she looked back to Vissica, expression all too deadpan and unamused at what she did. Was a bit more force than necessary given to the gesture that smacked the tractor beam into action. She weren't pleased. The Knight wouldn't give a damn, but Sadie wasn't gonna let her feeling on the matter go entirely without comment - even if it came all silent and glowering.

"I get t' task th' point of that? We aint pirates last I checked."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The Selonian studied the information from the sensors and got a good look at the crippled freighter as it spun dead in space. The ship vented plasma from its stricken engines, and the tell-tale scorches on its hull matched precisely where Vissica had ordered the attack.

”I wished to test all of the systems on this ship and your capability to operate them.”

Vissica nodded.

”You performed well.”

The crippled ship continued to belch smoke as it rolled.

“This could not be left to chance. A location beyond the empire was required. A location with a probable chance of a live target.”

[Sadie K'Vesh]

If this had been the Tide and a bottle of whiskey had been handy, Sadie was sure right then and there that she may have finished off whatever was left in a bottle no matter what that meant. As it were, no drinks were in sight, no cigs from her pack, and the sobriety coupled with the reality left a damn bad taste in her mouth.

Sadie looked from the wounded ship back to the Selonian and resisted the urge to slap her forehead and drag her hand down her face. Would have felt better than nothing, but nothing was gonna have to make do right then and there.

It. Made. Kriffing. Sense. Why did it have to make sense? Why did it have to seem like such a rational way of putting things the way the Knight had gone and said it?

Sure it weren't the right thing to do, but no real harm was had, were it? Disabled as the ship were, and so close to the planet as it spun, it was bound to be discovered and the folks on board weren't gonna be able to tell anybody nothing 'bout who the heck did this to 'em. Random attack, no looting or pillaging or nothing else, no one to blame. Perfect gorram crime of inconvenience that some company was gonna have to pay out for. Was the sort of thing that even her real boss lady would have appreciated. Hells, Sadie herself appreciated it for what it was.

"Next time," Sadie began, knowing damned well there probably weren't gonna be one. "I got a whole mess of satellites out there we can pick on. Ain't exactly a live target but they got some tricks in 'em. Probably would put up 'bout as much of a fight as them there folks did."

It was kinda frakked up that some part of her felt that she should have kept that all silent, left other poor saps to have the damage and costs rather than herself. Seemed like everyday she was away from Jedi influence, no matter how questionable it was, Sadie was falling back into her old routine and self. Weren't a bad thing, not as far as self preservation went, at least.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The Knight could feel the emotional conflict in her minion. Her whiskers quavered, as if tasting the air.

"A satellite cannot die, Saidra. I also needed to test if you are willing to put others in harm's way, or even to kill if it is needed."

Breaking from her vigil over the wounded ship, the Selonian pivoted to regard the human.

"Fortunately, it is not needed now. I make no promise that it won't be in the future."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Y' ain't done y're homework, then, Lady.

Was a passing sort of thought, shameful that it was, and downright stupid too. There weren't no homework to be done on her, after all, she'd done gone and hid it all. Well, not so much as hidden and blown it to tiny little bits that weren't no more meaningful than a bit of rock a body might find on a beach on a planet that'd once been a piece of some grand comet or the like. You might have been able to tell whereabouts it may have come from, but you weren't gonna get any details.

"Coulda' asked."

Sadie let her eyes flit betwixt Vissica and the ship.

"Them ain't th' only innocents I've wronged f're th' greater geatin'. Somethin' tells me they ain't gonna be th' last. I know how t' get a job done, whatever that may take."

Was a downright lie if she said she were a coldblooded sort though. If them slaves she didn't help sell off didn't haunt her sometimes. If the folks she'd gunned down didn't sometimes have ghosts that came a calling in the middle of the night. Heck, she was sure some of the droids' brains she'd gone and fried to get her way into a network came and visited and glowered at her when they were avail. All them specters aside, though, Sadie wouldn't have changed nothing. Life was life and you did what you could to survive and the truth of it was, she was here and they weren't.

"Still... guess seein' is believin'."

Sadie turned away from the Imperial and towards the navigation controls.

"So, we ready to space or y' got other reasons t' be lingerin?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica cast another glance back to Naboo. Saidra was right. It was just a place, nothing more.

"There is no further reason to remain. You may set a new course - for Ossus."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

If Naboo had made her question, Ossus made her damn near throw up.

Sadie didn't make a habit of keeping up with all the movements of the verse, she figured that sort of dren was best left to folks like Mrs. Shadowstar or politicians and the like. Spacers like her? Well, info was learned as it was needed and Ossus and it's inhabitants didn't make a lick of damn difference to her.

'Cept she knew folks there. Not a ton, some insignificant fraction of the populace, but she knew 'em. Amaros' son and the weird chick he'd had with him, probably even Morgan from the damn Ssi-ruu dren... Her dad - Well, he weren't there, not now, but his name were on record if they bothered keeping any.

Jedi. Folks that Sadie should have been a part of if the verse hadn't been such a dick. Folks that Sadie wanted nothing to do with 'cept her pops who was trying oh so hard to teach her their ways without indoctrinating her into their beliefs.

She weren't a Sabacc player, but damned if she didn't have the face of one at a time like this.

"Y' got it, boss."

Ossus. Her own words came back to haunt her: It's just a place.

Sadie forced a smart little knowing smile, covering up the heap of unrest that was building and let her release that damn tension as something else entirely.

"Sure like pushing buttons, don't 'cha? Anythin' in particular I should be on the watch for when we finish this jump?"

It was weird though.For all the mixed and muddled up dren that was brought up, she felt a calm too. This was Vissica's show, the Knight was in control. Sadie? She was just following directions. Doing what had to be done, after all, and not just for her own skin. That made a difference, didn't it?

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"The Jedi should have no reason to suspect your motives. You will seek them out and open a dialogue, offering something they want."

One of Vissica's forepaws drifted to her belt, opening an oversized pouch. She pulled free a cube, trimmed in intricate bronzium, behind which a crystalline substructure could be seen faintly glowing blue.

[Sadie K'Vesh]

As Sadie eyeballed the relic, or whatever it was there was only one word she could think to say about the whole damned affair.

"Shiny."


The Adega System


As the Lancer-class, whose name was starting to go and form somewhere in Sadie's haywire's head, dropped out of hyperspace the slicer almost gave herself some credit for how things were coming along. True, she hadn't exactly tried landing the thing or any takeoff sequences aside from the bit that she'd helped Vissica with, but there was something about taking control of the ship that Sadie was starting to feel was surprisingly right. She'd heard from pilots before 'bout the sort of attachments they went and formed for a craft; it was something that Sadie never could get a feel for before... but now? Welp, first time for everything, weren't there?

Sadie let herself stand from the copilot seat and stretch. Long runs were something she hadn't done for a damn long sight of time and truth was she weren't sure if she had missed it or not. There was something peaceful 'bout the hum of ship engines. the flow of hyperspace lights, and nothing but heaps of time on your hands. Was a shame she didn't have her quetarra with her, times like this were best for tinkering with sound. Then again, as she glanced towards the Imperial conducting this whole orchestra, maybe it was for the best she didn't have nothing to go and further annoy the Selonian with.

She'd kept from asking all sorts of questions while they'd traveled, the easy silence instead had gone and persisted while the swirls of hyperspace had gone and dominated their view. But now that they were back in the basics, they crept up again and Sadie couldn't help but go and run her mouth once again.

"Guessin' y' don't exactly have a buyer lined up for that there trinket of y'rs? So, what? I just get on th' comms, wave it 'bout and say I wanna meetin' with one of their leaders?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"Do what it takes to arouse their interest."

Vissica had undergone something of a spartan transformation. Gone was her helmet and armored cuirass with their Imperial insignia. In their place, the Selonian wore only a plain tunic and belt, over which a small cloak had been drawn.

"The artifact is what's known as a holocron (https://theholo.net/forum/showthread.php?56686-Dance-of-the-Leaves). It is an ancient receptacle of Jedi knowledge, one that can only be unlocked through the Light Side of the Force."

The Selonian met her pilot's eyes.

"The Jedi will likely pay dearly for it. Do not let it go cheaply."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie'd heard of holocrons before; not some deep seated knowledge from the underworld, mind, but rather more recent additions courtesy of her Pops. There'd been discussions on how they might help her learn more about all that Force dren that she was only now starting to dig deeper in to, especially with him wandering off in the Galaxy rather than sticking round Cloud City. Kinda seemed up her alley, really. Force-user restricted access to knowledge - Sadie'd be lying if she said she was more interested in the tech behind it rather than the actual teachings within. After all, if she could maybe find some way to link certain types of info to someone's particular brand of using the Force rather than just light and dark binary... Well, that'd be one hell of a security system now wouldn't it? Embed that in the Exchange's network and there wouldn't be no body but her who'd ever reach back into her mainframe ever again.

But that was flights of fancy, and now certainly weren't the time to wonder over it. Even if she was kinda in possession of the only actual holocron she'd ever come into contact with. Even if she was about to hand it over to the gorram Jedi rather than getting to fuss with it herself. Not that she could here anyway, that'd kinda give away what she was to Tall, Dark, and Fluffy. Made her all sorts of conflicted but at the end of the damn day, her life were kinda on the line and that, welp, that was a might bit more of import than playing with Jedi tech.

"Gotcha," Sadie said, drawing out the word more than was necessary.

She knew a test when she heard one and Vissica had made it pretty damn plain that that was what she was doin' the slicer - testing her. Disabling that ship back at Naboo had been one sort, and she'd passed with all kinds of flying colors, apparently. Now there was this. Swindle the Jedi. Sure, piece of cake.

As for arousing their interests, welp, Plan A it was. With some minor tweaks. Fly to the planet, request landing clearance, ask for a meeting with a representative of the Jedi, and then wave the shiny tech around. Then the fun would begin. Sure, what the frak could go wrong?

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"I am entrusting you with a great deal. Do not make me regret doing so."

Ossus loomed large ahead. It wouldn't be long now...