9.111 - My Connection's Connection [Novgorod]

[Zeke]

"Thanks. We're still establishing our identity." Morgan stated.

"It's a very diverse group. I think that compared to the older order we're more philosophically eclectic. We're aware that we're not an institution. Personally, I feel like there are some previous rules that don't add up, and there are still some people who think some of the old rules are a good idea." He gave a shrug.

"The whole situation could be characterized as unconventional."

Philosophically eclectic. Zeke figured he'd have to live through some of it to get the full meaning of those two words. He'd seen tons of different kinds of beings, cultures, languages, and worlds since being forced to live among them in hiding. It was exciting to think of what kind of Order he'd find on that Convoy.

"So what parts of the old way are we keeping to so far? Going to guess that we have a leadership council and the old Master-Knight-Padawan ranking hierarchy."

[Carol Saska]

Cirr winced at the nickname as they left the infirmary. Did he call her Refugee Human? No he didn't.

"Please, just call me Cirr."

As they spoke, it was clear she had an axe to grind with their situation. Cirr listened, his ears twitching as he did. Lady, you've got the wrong person to ask this question.

He held up a hand.

"Hold on. So you'rre telljing me that an Alljiance agent snuck weapons jinto yourr carrgo bay orr somethjing?"

He'd never heard of that sort of thing. While he'd taken plenty of work for the Alliance while as a freelancer, it was on a strictly voluntary basis.

"They may or may not have snuck it onto Ben Merasska's ship. What it was, was a shipment of baby food jars. Several crates worth." She gestured with her hands to give Cirr an idea about it. Crates that came up to about her clavicle, with equivalent width and depth. "And about a quarter of the way down was a false panel hiding guns, ammunition, and grenades. We didn't know that they were there. We zapped the shipping labels, popped the lids, it all squared up. But the Imps knew that the smuggling operation was going on and were just checking every ship that jumped in-system, I guess. They unloaded all the crates and found us holding the contraband." She hugged herself a bit, face tightening up in an expression balancing sorrow and anger. "They killed a lot of our crew. Maybe all of them. Zeke had to out himself as a Jedi just for us to get away. We found Ben, clearly, but we had to abandon our shuttle, too. I just want to know who made this happen and why."

[Cassandra Saska]

Not good at social interaction in the best of times, Vek Vek stiffened as he looked at his viewscreen.

"Mm? Yes? No. No. Well, aside from concussion. No cephalic degeneration or atrophy. Cognitive function nominal, ahem, at cursory examination."

She grinned as he accidentally agreed with her and reversed himself. She rolled her eyes up and to the side to try and make eye contact as the set of her mouth went neutral. "Then we have to go deeper!" Cassie declared, hunching in a bit to try and see what Vek was looking at. His equipment was pristinely clean; the whole of it smelled like sanitizer. There didn't appear to be a lot of wear on the buttons and switches, no scratches on computer screens...either he didn't use it a lot, or babied the crap outta his stuff. She was seized with a sudden urge to drag her hands across all the buttons. Her hands a reached a bit before clasping together, but this sort of distraction had always helped her deal with her issues in the past...for a little while. Picking on people was fun, but it was supposed to be serious business right now.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"They may or may not have snuck it onto Ben Merasska's ship. What it was, was a shipment of baby food jars. Several crates worth." She gestured with her hands to give Cirr an idea about it. Crates that came up to about her clavicle, with equivalent width and depth. "And about a quarter of the way down was a false panel hiding guns, ammunition, and grenades. We didn't know that they were there. We zapped the shipping labels, popped the lids, it all squared up. But the Imps knew that the smuggling operation was going on and were just checking every ship that jumped in-system, I guess. They unloaded all the crates and found us holding the contraband." She hugged herself a bit, face tightening up in an expression balancing sorrow and anger. "They killed a lot of our crew. Maybe all of them. Zeke had to out himself as a Jedi just for us to get away. We found Ben, clearly, but we had to abandon our shuttle, too. I just want to know who made this happen and why."

"That's cerrtajinly not Ben's style. He's...dangerr-averrse."

The Captain frowned at her telling of events. On one hand, nobody should get dragged into this ugly business who didn't ask for it, and on the other hand, the Alliance was at war with a numerically superior enemy that held all the cards. Embracing the unconventional was often times necessary.

"Forr what jit's worrth, Carrol, jI'm sorrry you werre mjixed up jin thjis. jI can't guarrantee jI'll be able to fjind even a name forr you."

He paused, and gave a slow nod.

"But jI wjill look jinto that."

[Morgan Evanar]

Philosophically eclectic. Zeke figured he'd have to live through some of it to get the full meaning of those two words. He'd seen tons of different kinds of beings, cultures, languages, and worlds since being forced to live among them in hiding. It was exciting to think of what kind of Order he'd find on that Convoy.

"So what parts of the old way are we keeping to so far? Going to guess that we have a leadership council and the old Master-Knight-Padawan ranking hierarchy."

"I think that's about all we have set in stone at the moment. I think some of our basic training is the same, but the rules seem to be on a Master to Padawan basis. I'm honestly too young to know how things used to be done."

[Carol Saska]

"That's cerrtajinly not Ben's style. He's...dangerr-averrse."

The Captain frowned at her telling of events. On one hand, nobody should get dragged into this ugly business who didn't ask for it, and on the other hand, the Alliance was at war with a numerically superior enemy that held all the cards. Embracing the unconventional was often times necessary.

"Forr what jit's worrth, Carrol, jI'm sorrry you werre mjixed up jin thjis. jI can't guarrantee jI'll be able to fjind even a name forr you."

He paused, and gave a slow nod.

"But jI wjill look jinto that."

"Thanks," she said gratefully. "I'm sure Ben didn't know either, he was very...animated when confronted about it. I just want to try and exert some control, y'know? I don't do well idling. I want to have a goal. Without shipping manifests and books to balance, I think this is probably the most worthwhile thing to spend my time on."

[Zeke]

"I think that's about all we have set in stone at the moment. I think some of our basic training is the same, but the rules seem to be on a Master to Padawan basis. I'm honestly too young to know how things used to be done."

Zeke took a breath and accepted the statement as an offer for him to expound on the past. He took the opportunity. "We were a very reactionary group of peace-keepers. Something bad happened, we went out and stopped it. It was very structured and regimented. We didn't let people go out and actively seek and stop evil from happening. We didn't want anyone getting too bloodthirsty or becoming what we purported to stop. But we were also very complacent and secure in our power and ability. We were played like fools by Palpatine, who was right under our noses the whole time. He always had the counter because he always knew our plans. Just the slightest bit of subtlety and he had us all by the noses. We were completely blind. We never thought our greatest enemy could be so close, though we knew full well the sort of under-handedness the Sith were capable of, and what their methods typically entailed. I would've liked a little more flexibility in our tactics and plans, and the courage to question our allies even as they made more and more ludicrous and dangerous demands of us. Also, I think we should've placed our trust a little more carefully. Then maybe the galaxy would be a very different, very much better place."

[Vek Vek]

She grinned as he accidentally agreed with her and reversed himself. She rolled her eyes up and to the side to try and make eye contact as the set of her mouth went neutral. "Then we have to go deeper!" Cassie declared, hunching in a bit to try and see what Vek was looking at. His equipment was pristinely clean; the whole of it smelled like sanitizer. There didn't appear to be a lot of wear on the buttons and switches, no scratches on computer screens...either he didn't use it a lot, or babied the crap outta his stuff. She was seized with a sudden urge to drag her hands across all the buttons. Her hands a reached a bit before clasping together, but this sort of distraction had always helped her deal with her issues in the past...for a little while. Picking on people was fun, but it was supposed to be serious business right now.

"Curiosity healthy. Temper with prudence. Brain is complicated. Non-invasive, ahem, examination preferable."

Fortunately, the diagnostics Zeke requires were fairly routine, and the girl wasn't hurting anything yet, so Vek Vek took a rare indulgence and humored her.

"Interest in scientific methodology?"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Thanks," she said gratefully. "I'm sure Ben didn't know either, he was very...animated when confronted about it. I just want to try and exert some control, y'know? I don't do well idling. I want to have a goal. Without shipping manifests and books to balance, I think this is probably the most worthwhile thing to spend my time on."

"Just trryjing to surrvjive jin the mjiddle of all thjis? jI've been therre. Actually, you sound ljike a good frrjiend of mjine."

Cirr walked along with Carol, feeling her out a bit as they talked. She was mad, and rightfully so, but she seemed like good people.

"jI know jit's prrobably not what you want to hearr rrjight now, but the Alljiance could rreally use a pjilot who knows thejirr way arround."

[Cassandra Saska]

"Curiosity healthy. Temper with prudence. Brain is complicated. Non-invasive, ahem, examination preferable."

Fortunately, the diagnostics Zeke requires were fairly routine, and the girl wasn't hurting anything yet, so Vek Vek took a rare indulgence and humored her.

"Interest in scientific methodology?"

Nope, not really. But then, she hadn't learned much at all from the med tech Zeke had hired to run the Curvy Lady's aging bacta tank and patch up on-the-job injuries. He'd been surly and laconic, so Cassie had eventually decided to stay out of his way. It couldn't hurt to humor Vek Vek. "Yeah, sure!" she answered, scooching her stool forward by grabbing it and hopping it lightly toward the work area. "I wanna see what Dad's head looks like inside." That much, at least, was true. She flexed her fingers and pressed her lips together and resisted that urge to mash the buttons again. "May I?"

[Carol Saska]

"Just trryjing to surrvjive jin the mjiddle of all thjis? jI've been therre. Actually, you sound ljike a good frrjiend of mjine."

Cirr walked along with Carol, feeling her out a bit as they talked. She was mad, and rightfully so, but she seemed like good people.

"jI know jit's prrobably not what you want to hearr rrjight now, but the Alljiance could rreally use a pjilot who knows thejirr way arround."

Carol's mouth slanted sideways and bunched up as she thought about it. "Well, I didn't get much opportunity to actually fly our old bulk freighter. I can do shuttles of a certain class. My real occupation, the one I got a degree in, is accounting, but I'm not certain those skills would be required here in the Alliance. I mean, if it came to it, I guess I could fly shuttles for the Rebellion, but I don't know that I'd do well in fighters." She clasped her hands behind her and looked to the floor, concentrating on stepping between the metal tiles as she tried to continue gathering her thoughts. "Do you guys even do anything in civilian capacity? I can't think of anything flight-related that wouldn't amount to an act of war. Not even smuggling. And, truth told, I don't want to be a smuggler." She looked back up with a rueful half-smile. "It hasn't gone so well for me yet."

[Morgan Evanar]

"I think that's about all we have set in stone at the moment. I think some of our basic training is the same, but the rules seem to be on a Master to Padawan basis. I'm honestly too young to know how things used to be done."

Zeke took a breath and accepted the statement as an offer for him to expound on the past. He took the opportunity. "We were a very reactionary group of peace-keepers. Something bad happened, we went out and stopped it. It was very structured and regimented. We didn't let people go out and actively seek and stop evil from happening. We didn't want anyone getting too bloodthirsty or becoming what we purported to stop. But we were also very complacent and secure in our power and ability. We were played like fools by Palpatine, who was right under our noses the whole time. He always had the counter because he always knew our plans. Just the slightest bit of subtlety and he had us all by the noses. We were completely blind. We never thought our greatest enemy could be so close, though we knew full well the sort of under-handedness the Sith were capable of, and what their methods typically entailed. I would've liked a little more flexibility in our tactics and plans, and the courage to question our allies even as they made more and more ludicrous and dangerous demands of us. Also, I think we should've placed our trust a little more carefully. Then maybe the galaxy would be a very different, very much better place."

Morgan nodded. He'd studied some of the recent Jedi history factual and otherwise. The Imperial propaganda was usually easy to sort from the rest.

"I'm under the impression that being anything other than a reactionary peacekeeping force at that time might have been impossible. The Order lacked the numbers to move pre-emptively in a lot of cases." He gave a shrug.

"Being evil is much easier than being good. You don't have a rulebook when you're evil."

[Zeke]

Morgan nodded. He'd studied some of the recent Jedi history factual and otherwise. The Imperial propaganda was usually easy to sort from the rest.

"I'm under the impression that being anything other than a reactionary peacekeeping force at that time might have been impossible. The Order lacked the numbers to move pre-emptively in a lot of cases." He gave a shrug.

"Being evil is much easier than being good. You don't have a rulebook when you're evil."

Zeke sighed and frowned. "Yeeeeaah, well..." He didn't have an answer to that. Truth was hard to combat. "Well, if we didn't have the numbers then, I expect we won't now. But not being rooted in one spot oughtta help. I hope. So..." He took a breath. "Speaking of this new Order. I'd like to go there. Get some refuge for my ladies, throw my skills in to help out. If you're a new promotion, I expect we'll have more trainees to bring up to speed. Do we have the materials for lightsabers, or any kind of training equipment?" There was a beat. "Look, I don't mean to grill you over this, but this is the first truly lucky break we've had, and I always found it easier to cope with stress through action."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Carol's mouth slanted sideways and bunched up as she thought about it. "Well, I didn't get much opportunity to actually fly our old bulk freighter. I can do shuttles of a certain class. My real occupation, the one I got a degree in, is accounting, but I'm not certain those skills would be required here in the Alliance. I mean, if it came to it, I guess I could fly shuttles for the Rebellion, but I don't know that I'd do well in fighters." She clasped her hands behind her and looked to the floor, concentrating on stepping between the metal tiles as she tried to continue gathering her thoughts. "Do you guys even do anything in civilian capacity? I can't think of anything flight-related that wouldn't amount to an act of war. Not even smuggling. And, truth told, I don't want to be a smuggler." She looked back up with a rueful half-smile. "It hasn't gone so well for me yet."

"Therre arre only a few worrlds we hold outrrjight, wjithout havjing to worry about an jImperrjial fleet showjing up unannounced. jI'm surre you'd fjind plenty of worrk as a bean counterr orr whatnot, but prrobably the kjind who keeps a blasterr by herr sprreadsheets."

It was strangely parallel to his own introduction to the Alliance. Who walks into a thing like this and goes straight for the gun? You'd have to be insane. A whole lifetime of little decisions for better or worse.

[Vek Vek]

Nope, not really. But then, she hadn't learned much at all from the med tech Zeke had hired to run the Curvy Lady's aging bacta tank and patch up on-the-job injuries. He'd been surly and laconic, so Cassie had eventually decided to stay out of his way. It couldn't hurt to humor Vek Vek. "Yeah, sure!" she answered, scooching her stool forward by grabbing it and hopping it lightly toward the work area. "I wanna see what Dad's head looks like inside." That much, at least, was true. She flexed her fingers and pressed her lips together and resisted that urge to mash the buttons again. "May I?"

The Doctor weighed the harm in such layman tours through the most important organ in intersentient anatomy, and decided to play the optimist.

"Want to look. Yes. But more important to ask why. Why to look?"

Vek Vek brought up a kaliedoscope of brain cross-sections on his holo-viewer, thumbing through human, rodian, twi'lek, ishi tib, and more.

"Many brains. Many configurations. Conditions endemic to species. Conditions specific to genetic trait, infection, or injury. Variables. Elements change, and observe difference."

Again, Vek brought up Zeke's brain image.

"So then, ahem, young girl. Ask why."

The Durwi was probably expecting too much. A spontaneous thirst for the scientific method was less likely than a random amino acid blob forming a useful protein.

[Cassandra Saska]

Why? Her mouth scrunched, her eyebrows went quizzical, and her hands gestured thoughtfully with fingers half-curled.

"Beeeeeeeeee...cause my dad's a lunatic with superpowers and I wanna know if it's because he's crazy or just wired different?" she tested. She searched Vek Vek's eyes for his response. She got the idea it wasn't going well.

[Carol Saska]

Carol's mouth slanted sideways and bunched up as she thought about it. "Well, I didn't get much opportunity to actually fly our old bulk freighter. I can do shuttles of a certain class. My real occupation, the one I got a degree in, is accounting, but I'm not certain those skills would be required here in the Alliance. I mean, if it came to it, I guess I could fly shuttles for the Rebellion, but I don't know that I'd do well in fighters." She clasped her hands behind her and looked to the floor, concentrating on stepping between the metal tiles as she tried to continue gathering her thoughts. "Do you guys even do anything in civilian capacity? I can't think of anything flight-related that wouldn't amount to an act of war. Not even smuggling. And, truth told, I don't want to be a smuggler." She looked back up with a rueful half-smile. "It hasn't gone so well for me yet."

"Therre arre only a few worrlds we hold outrrjight, wjithout havjing to worry about an jImperrjial fleet showjing up unannounced. jI'm surre you'd fjind plenty of worrk as a bean counterr orr whatnot, but prrobably the kjind who keeps a blasterr by herr sprreadsheets."

It was strangely parallel to his own introduction to the Alliance. Who walks into a thing like this and goes straight for the gun? You'd have to be insane. A whole lifetime of little decisions for better or worse.

Carol stopped, eyebrows rising in thought. "I could do that, actually. You didn't work on the Curvy Lady without being able to shoot. Fat lot of good it did us at the end, but..." she tipped her head to one side and shrugged. "Sounds a little boring, but it might solve some of Cassie's problem. The interim will probably still be tough. If Zeke wants us to stay on the Wheel it might make trouble. Hrm."

She looked up at the big Cizerack with a smile. "You're a great help, Cirr. Thanks."

[Ben Merasska]

Ben frowned.

In front of him, on the galley table, laid a mess of wiring and a few broken cylindrical cases.

Inertial dampeners are at forty percent efficiency and holding, Ben. My internal visual receptors are in need of manual recalibration and possibly new components. Alluvial dampeners are non-functioning and must be repaired to facilitate any travel. Some parts of the hull are in need of repair or replacement. Shield emitters are at sixty-three percent of baseline potential -

"All right, all right," Ben cut the AI off. "I get it. Make a list of critical repairs and replacements needed and send it to a datapad. Establish contact with the Novgorod, Cirr's probably busy with... them... and I don't want to take up too much of his time."

Understood. Xerxes replied, and automated the call through to the Novgorod's bridge, with a query about establishing a trade/payments for needed parts.