"And I say we SURRENDER to the Imperials! There is no more use resisting their control of the systems!" shouted a Republic senator, one of a scant few remaining with the remnants of the Republic fleet.

Major Davidov rested his back against a wall of the ship's command center, in which a great debate is erupting between the leaders of this ragtag fleet. Every hour, hyperspace coordinates to neutral systems are plotted to avoid Imperial patrols.

"What then, senator?" The fleet admiral replied. "After we put down our weapons, will we just stand by and have their Reborn Jedi cut us down? No, we have to put up as much resistance as possible..."

"To what end?!" another shouted, himself a General.

At that the center exploded into a frenzy of screaming, as damn near every person had a different opinion of what to do.

Major Davidov could care less, however.

We're on the brink of annihilation, and they're STILL arguing amongst themselves. he thought. The soldier was very close to abandoning the Republic and going his own seperate path...his feelings towards Corellia remain the same, and he will do whatever it takes to see her free...

With the help of the Republic or not...

Davidov was actually surprised he's still here, and not stealing a shuttle to go elsewhere. Perhaps he's just waiting for all the Republic leaders to come to a final decision...or maybe he's waiting for hope...

--------------------

In his office aboard the Hornett, Aaron Barnes sat back in his chair, biting his lip as he considered the information on the datacard he was holding in his hands. The datacard read, simply:

Stargazer intelligence reports that a small fleet of leftover Republic ships is massing near Hoth space, lead by Righteous V. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Major Carlos Davidov may be among those on board one of these ships...

Aaron slipped from his musings to now look towards the man who had brought him the datacard containing this news: Matt Stanza.

"What do you make of it?" Matt queried only once Aaron had looked up.

"I don't know," Aaron admitted. "Could be coincidental, a set-up..."

"...or the truth," Matt finished.

Aaron simply nodded, again biting his lower lip.

"Send the Righteous V a comm requesting an audience with Davidov. If he truly knows anything of us and our efforts, he'll respond."

Matt simply nodded. "Anything else?"

Aaron furrowed his brow. "Actually, yes. Give Jasyn a comm. His silence troubles me, and I want to know what is going on concerning his mission...

...though I think we would have heard if he had been successful. I just hope he hasn't gotten into trouble dealing with the Sith...gods know I've never trusted them. Any trust I might have had in them was based on my trust in Terrin alone...and now that he's gone..."

Aaron fell silent for a long moment, and never finished his statement. Instead he continued with, "Report back to me in 0200 hours with whatever you find out."

Matt saluted respectfully, and with no further word turned on his heel and left Aaron's office, leaving him to ponder the datapad once more.

Davidov after all this time...

...but after all the things and people that had been lost in their recent dealings and battles...

...was a fight against the Empire still worth it?

Aaron really didn't know.

--------------------

"Victory? Victory in what?! Who are we at war with now?!"

"Stop acting like a fool, Senator. There's no point in pretending we're fighting for no reason at all..."

"Oh really? Just EXACTLY what are we fighting for?"

Again, the room exploded in an array of shouts and yells, and all Carlos (along with the other guards) could do is stand by and watch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a comm officer stand up from his post and started walking to his direction.

I don't blame him...

As the officer came closer, Major Davidov realized he was approaching him. He took his back off the wall and faced him, arms crossed.

"Sir, we've picked up a transmission of a neutral vessel in orbit along with the fleet."

Neutral?

There was a puzzled look on the soldier's face as he responded. "What do you mean neutral? And why are you telling me about this?"

"Well," the comm officer started, "Its not Republic nor Imperial. I was about to call the Admiral, when the transmission I picked up was addressed to you."

"Me?"

He nodded. "Yes, sir. It was addressed to Major Davidov."

The Major didn't know what to think of this...

Survivors of my company? Or maybe...someone I left behind...

"I'll take it in my office in the troop barracks." Then he turned around to heard for the doorway. The comm officer stepped forward.

"Why can't you take it here?"

As the door slid open, Davidov nodded to the mass of officials arguing.

"Won't concentrate..."

Then he stepped through.

[ 03-21-2003 02:35 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Major Carlos Davidov ]

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Aaron pursed his lips. "Good. Patch it through to me."

"Gotcha...boss," Matt ended, his own comm frequency snapping out as the patch was completed along a secure frequency.

"This is Captain Aaron Barnes of Eagle Enterprises," Aaron said into the comm unit now that the patch was complete. "As my assistant..."

Assistant? Matt was always TERRIN'S assistant...

"...has already communicated to you, I am looking for Major Carlos Davidov. Your name was amongst leaders of a resistance movement on Corellia, and therefore caught my attention. We aren't particularly thrilled with the Empire's rule by fear, and have some connections you might be interested in, if you in fact are aboard the Righteous V and are still fighting this..."

Aaron paused and waited for the reply with nothing more than that, wondering if this was going to be another dead end or not.

--------------------

They seem more interested in me than the whole of the Republic fleet. Well, maybe their aware of the pathetic fighting between the higher-ups...but exactly what are these 'connections'?

Davidov typed up a response instead of talking to the sender directly. For now, it was best to keep this as secret as possible...

--------------------

"Yeah," replied the mechanic, shouting to be heard over the din. The mess hall was always crouded and noisey around meal times.

"How did he die?" Jonovar cried back. The mechanic merely shrugged, obviously growing bored of his conversation with the former bounty hunter. For the past half hour, ever since he had relayed the latest bit of gossip to his fellow crewmate, the mechanic had been thuroughly interrogated by an increasingly anxious Rathal. Rathal couldn't say he blamed the mechanic for pertending he didn't hear and walking off. Most of the mechanics were not permenant members of the crew and could find other work in a snap. However, Rathal on the other hand would be forced to go back to bounty hunting if EE went under. It wasn't that he minded bounty hunting, it was just that it was a lot harder (not to mention dangerous) work, and most of the time it didn't pay as well. Not to mention the fact that he was still without his own means of transport. Jonovar shoved another forkful of food in his mouth and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. He needed ansewers and he needed them soon, preferably before his break ended. Jonovar made his way out of the mess hall and up through the maze of hallways to the offices of Matt Stanza, he knew the way fairly well as he had gone there to complain whenever they had not given him a sufficiently large pay check, or it had been late. Rathal entered the office and smiled politely before getting down to bussness.

"Mr. Stanza," he said, "if you arn't too busy there are a few questions I need to ask you regarding the future of this company and the wellfare of its owner Terrin Danner whom I have heard has... well... croaked."

--------------------

My Characters: Rathal, Narcolm, Freedon Naad

...for he most certainly had the authority. As Terrin's personal assistant, he knew everything Terrin ever had, and was pretty much "filling the gap" in that department. He stood, arms folded, and came around his desk, leaning on it despite the fact his stature was already shorter than Rathal's. His green eyes never left the other man's...

...and they began to show a trace of offense. "I'd suggest you watch your tone," Matt said deceptively calmly. "All you need to know is that EE is doing sufficient business, and that you still have a job to do here...

...currently. You'll lose your job because your lack of respect long before you'll ever lose it because the company has folded."

Matt paused, his arms still folded against his chest. "Was there anything further?"

[ 04-01-2003 10:35 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Matt Stanza ]

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Rathal smiled apologetically, "I am sorry if my tone offened you. I did not intend it too, my concern for the welfare of this company, as well as, I must admit, my desire to remain an employee overid my common sense. I am sorry that I took what must have been a very rude and abrasive tone and made light of an incedent which must have affected you on a personal level as well as on the level of a busness man. I simply wish to know if there is anything I could do for you in these trying times."

--------------------

My Characters: Rathal, Narcolm, Freedon Naad

Either someone is up to something funny, or Davidov doesn't trust me.

Maybe you have something in common?

Still, Aaron wasn't about to just up and fork over the information regarding his said connections til he knew just precisely who he was handing that information off to.

Aaron wasn't ready to risk this just yet. Stargazer's information could still be incorrect...

...but just maybe there was something he could do to further the trust here.

Aaron switched to a datastream and typed out his next message, knowing it would be encrypted across the frequency til it reached its destination.

"I trust you, as a rebel leader, have heard about the simulated earthquake on Coruscant?"

He typed no more than that, but simply leaned back and waited. If Davidov had heard anything regarding the Coruscant attack, perhaps he had heard just who had staged it, and would make the proper connections himself...

--------------------

...which meant that the guy had been hired as a general flunkie, and nothing more. Granted, Matt was keenly aware that Rathal had been the bringer of information concerning Galen's whereabouts when Actar had tried to all but kill her...

...but Matt was also aware that, other than this, the man had done little else excepting some minor ship repairs and alot of demanding, especially when it came to his paycheck--which, was rather steep considering the job he held.

"Weren't you a bounty hunter before you were hired on here at EE?" Matt queried suddenly, something very vague sparking in the back of his mind. "Ever thought of going back to it?"

[ 04-05-2003 09:09 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Matt Stanza ]

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Jasyn had lost track of time as he sat back in thought aboard the Raptor, all the while considering the resources he might have through EE and Stargazer Corporation to help Galen get through that blockade on Coruscant and to her baby. Granted, EE had been able to blast through that blockade with the good ole' "blow 'em outta the water" approach once before, but Jasyn wasn't too keen on trying it again if not for the simple fact that, as hard as it'd been before, it'd be even harder the second time around. The Empire wasn't stupid by a long shot, and had most certainly tightened their defenses. Still, this was an option he couldn't entirely rule out.

As he continued to consider and something of a more stealthy idea began to worm its way into his brain, the Raptor's proximity indicator began to beep, signalling to him that reversion was immenient and that he'd be to the Hornett soon. So, leaving his thoughts on pause for the moment, Jasyn took care of matters concerning reversion, then made as graceful an entrance and landing into the Hornett's main hanger bay as he could. While the systems of the classy lamby began to cool down then, Jasyn rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he returned to that little beginning of an idea.

Just maybe...

Standing then, Jasyn made sure his comm was secured to his belt, frowning for a moment before he headed out of the Raptor all together.

He hadn't heard anything from Galen lately. He just hoped everything was allright...

At that, he paused for a brief moment to send a short message across a secure frequency to the Eagle to let Galen know he was on the Hornett and investigating an idea he was starting to get concerning a possible way to get to Darra. Then he headed for the hatch of the lamby, lowered the plank, and descended down it to the tarmac of the hanger bay. He was met by some EE flunkies. "Mr. Lancaster, we've been informed to let you know that your new office..."

Jasyn raised his right hand, halting the flunkie in mid-speech.

OFFICE...?!

"If someone needs me," he then said, "I'll be in Captain Danner's office."

With that he turned and began to head for his intended destination. Behind him, one of the little flunkies spoke up in protest. "But sir, no one has been allowed to..."

He turned, his brows lowering ever-the-slightest. "If you'd like to pull rank on me, go right ahead. The very fact I even have an access code should give you a clue."

Without waiting for any further reply to that, Jasyn turned on his heel, and headed once more towards Terrin's office, his mind once again on that tiny bit of an idea lurking there.

Just maybe...

[ 04-07-2003 09:30 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jasyn Lancaster ]

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The major stared at the text words in front of him. Years ago, he would have laughed at this idea and thought it to be a joke. But these days, even the smallest thing must be taken seriously...

IF this actually happened... he thought, as he typed up the words as well. We would surely have heard about from our superiour officers...unless...

Carlos stopped his hands for a moment, considering over what he was about to type.

...They didn't want us to.

He hit send, and the message disappeared off-screen...

--------------------

You know, the Empire knows about EE and Pallaeon, so there is little reason to be hush-hush about it.

"I know you're probably suspicious that I've contacted you when you yet have superiors, but yours was the only real name we had in conjunction with the rebellion on Corellia. All other speculation on the existence of authorities battling this who were higher up the "food chain" so to speak would have been merely speculation, and not very helpful."

Aaron paused for a moment, then finished with, "And, regarding my connection, you're going to have to keep an open mind, since you are associated with the Republic and I don't know your feelings regarding him. I'm certain you've heard of Admiral Pallaeon..."

Aaron trailed at that and simply waited, thoughtful once more.

If Davidov let the Admiral's actions speak for themselves, then just maybe they'd finally get somewhere...

[ 04-08-2003 08:41 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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Maybe this guy's for real. He's giving me info the Empire wouldn't let out, and apparently knows my reputation back on Corellia...

However, there was still that statement about Admiral Pallaeon.

"Well," he started to type, "I've heard rumours he was having second thoughts about the Empire, but that's all I've heard."

Davidov still wasn't satisfied by the response, and decided to include more information into it...very sensitive information.

Taking a big risk here, but he seems to be on the level...[i]

[i]"Also, don't think my association with the Republic is something I put above my own life. A few months ago, maybe I did, but things change. This is not the freedom-loving government I once swore loyalty to. It is now controlled by greedy, corrupt politicians that, at this very moment, talk about surrendering."

Davidov paused before he continued, wondering if he should hit the DELETE key while he still has the opportunity. A few moments passed, and he resumed typing.

"A group of soldiers and pilots, myself and my squad included, have been planning to leave the fleet and go home or continue the fight elsewhere. If you plan on continuing the war against the Empire...I'm for it.

He barely heard himself sigh as he pressed the button to send the message...

--------------------

I don't know how long we growled along in hyperdrive. Time seemed to stop of its own accord while we moved through that impossible realm which permitted us to set the laws of physics aside, allowing entirely too much of itself to envelope me with memories. They popped from a place deep inside me where I had been stashing them, parading out with patient persistence one after the other, until my head and eyes and heart and very being seemed to be nothing but a replay of the past three years of my life:

Some of it good... and most of it very, very bad....

Finally there came a spark of something into my reveries; I jerked, nearly falling from the pilot's seat when I realized that the proximity sensor was alerting me to the fact that if someone didn't do something quickly we would overshoot that infinitesimally tiny position in space where we were to revert back to realspace. I shook my head in a last attempt to if not rid myself of the memories, then at least banish them back into the recesses of my mind where they had come from.

I reached forward and flipped the hyperdrive release, and Eagle promptly obeyed by screaming down into sublight velocity. The starlines around us shrank back to brilliant dots, millions and millions of them all around us, save for directly ahead where something blocked those distant stars. I nodded at that dark something, which resolved itself to the image of a super star destroyer as we approached it.

"Welcome to my SSD, the Hornett," I said with a little smile as I placed Eagle into manual, sent forth a transmission requesting permission to come aboard, and continued on at a much reduced rate.

--------------------

"whoa. Is that your ship?" I asked Galen.

I had to admit it was one of the biggest ships i'd seen.

--------------------

So torn, and to top off this little dilemma, I am now LIGHTSABERLESS!!!! I'll have to start all over! Find a crystal, purchase materials, and begin construction... When am I gonna find the time???

I'm gonna have to go off and do some more soul searching. but how to tell everyone?!?

I'll have to contemplate this later.

I exited the deep trance I was in just as we returned to real space.

"Look at the size of that thing!!!" was all I could stammer out of my clouded head, as I looked at the SSD.

--------------------

A communications officer from the main bridge of the Hornett then briefly filled him in on events he had requested to be notified about when they occurred, namely the approach of the Eagle to the Hornett.

"Have them been given clearance?" he queried.

"Yes, Mr. Lancaster, we're on it right now, and have directed her to Captain Danner's personal landing platform."

"Good," Jasyn said a bit vaguely in response. Then, remembering something, he continued with, "I want a medical team headed for that platform immediately. There's a man onboard the Eagle who has been the victim of a poison dart. Clearly inform the med team that his status is critical, and demands immediate attention. You copy?"

"I'm on it right now, Mr. Lancaster. Is there anything further?"

"Aside from informing Captain Barnes that the Eagle has landed with Galen Danner and a few others aboard."

"Yes, sir. Bridge communications, out."

Even as the communications officer made his last reply and the frequency snapped closed, Jasyn got to his feet, stretched a bit, and headed for the Hornett's main hanger bay, his mind full of the things which might be laying ahead.

--------------------

"Get him out of here and to the nearest sick-bay, now!" I ordered as I burst from the pilot's seat, perhaps a bit too brusquely but at the moment I didn't care. All I could think about was getting Lo Ban somewhere where he could be healed, before then turning my mind to the other matters which lay ahead of us.

I was so concerned that, although I was well aware of them, the pheromones being generated by Dash didn't even seem to bother me one bit. I cast a quick look into his face, one that begged him to do as I asked, and to please not hesitate long in doing it.

[ 04-15-2003 09:41 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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If you plan on continuing the war...

He frowned, his eyes and his thoughts now darkening. Well, did he plan on it? And if the Empire WAS overthrown, then what...? If it wasn't the Imperials and their need for tight control...

...it would be the Republicans and their need to bicker and squabble over petty issues. And there was the continuing demand this would place on EE if he continued...

Aaron's eyes grew vague then as his mind shifted to just what sort of demand choosing any specific side had involved in the past.

And he really wasn't seeing numbers at that. He was seeing lives lost...

...and he didn't like the picture presented.

Aaron didn't know if he could take more unless it was for a worthy cause. And, at the moment at least, fighting the Empire merely to return to the ways of the Republic was seeming less and less appealing. If their was something truly more trustworthy to turn to than the Republic, if their was e even some higher cause...

...maybe. But he was, after all, a businessman. Perhaps for now it was time to return to business, and let the warriors and fighters deal with the politics...

"Look," Aaron replied. "I've vested alot in beginning a rebellion with the Empire, but at the moment the demand it's bringing to my company is not worth choosing sides. If I had more faith in what we have to chose from...

...that being the Republic or the Empire...

...this would be one thing. I can't say I see that the fight is worth it because of that. Still, there is someone who you may find will see eye to eye with you...

...and who will probably be willing to assist you better than I could anyway, for he is a fighter. I am sending you Admiral Pallaeon's comm frequency. If you truly wish to fight this no matter what, use it. He will be waiting for your communication."

With that Aaron sent the message, along with the promised comm frequency...

...leaving the decision entirely up to Davidov. Perhaps in time he'd be ready to fight this again, when there was something he truly believed in to be fighting for...

...but not yet...not yet...

--------------------

After the officer began to lead the group off to Red Level, Jasyn then nodded the med crew onward and followed slightly behind, not liking the looks of Kenobi one bit. He had a very bad feeling about this...

When they finally approached the main medical wing of the Hornett, Jasyn stopped a moment to address Galen. "If you need anything...

...let me know. I'll be here."

As he took a step back, the medical crew proceeded inside and took Kenobi to the intensive care ward, where they would run a list of tests on him to determine his condition. Jasyn turned to the medic at the desk. "Make certain the results on the battery of tests you will run on the newest patient, Mr. Kenobi, are determined immediately."

The medic glanced at his ensigna and nodded. "Yes sir," she said simply, then returned to her work as Jasyn simply waited in concern in case he was needed...

--------------------

Not to mention that I've always felt plain in the way.

Thus it was that the best I could do was find a happy medium between sticking as close to Loban as I could, holding on to his cold and pale hand as if with the knowledge that he could feel that, and trying to stay out of the way of the med-droids and techs and doctors and all who hustled and bustled with far too many gadgets and needles and whatnot.

At length the scurry died down a bit, and the room we were in grew very, very quiet. I found myself alone in it, standing next to Lo Ban's still form, one hand still holding his for dear life while the other reached down to stroke his cheek or ruffle his hair.

Dear Khaandon Lo Ban, please just open those wonderful eyes once, just once for me....

He lay still as a tomb, so quiet that I could plainly hear the footsteps approaching outside, and the low murmur as someone began speaking to another in the hall just outside the room.

--------------------

...permanantly.

Jasyn's brown eyes were in the process of darkening when the medic began to turn to step inside the room, probably with the intent to inform Galen of their prognosis. "Wait," Jasyn instructed, then his voice softened a bit as the medic turned in response, “I’ll tell her.”

The medic simply nodded at that, turning then to return to his work. Jasyn remained in the hallway a moment longer, then proceeded into the room which had been given to Loban, where Galen stood beside him, holding one of his hands, watching him. Probably hearing the audible whoosh of the doors opening and closing, Galen turned, her brown eyes reading an admixture of hope and despair. Jasyn hesitated another moment, crossed the room, and laid a hand on her shoulder, allowing his brown eyes to then level with hers. “He’s in a coma, Galen,” Jasyn said simply, quietly, dreading the next words that he’d have to say. “They’ve tried everything they have to try to revive him, and will continue to search for any other possibilities...but they don’t know if he’ll ever wake up...”

--------------------

...only this time, really, deep down I knew that I was only fooling myself.

I gripped his hand even more tightly, raised it to my cheek, yearned for the feel of his fingers moving lightly against the skin of my face, aching for the warmth to return to that touch. But the fingers remained limp and cool, bending without any resistance where I pressed them against me, a small but stark indication of the suddenly gaping hole in my life.

He had shown me passion. And now I felt I'd never know it again.

I couldn't utter one sound. I couldn't move. I couldn't even cry. All I could do was simply stand there, holding his hand against my face, trying with all my might to bring forth that fierce something that had flooded out from me when I thought he was dying, inwardly raging and railing and fighting against the cruel whimsy of fate which would dare allow this horrific thing to happen.

Dear, dear Khaandon... this was worse than death!

He remained cool and quiet, lost in that mysterious world of his own mind. And deep within myself I seemed to know that I had indeed lost him forever.

Finally his hand fell limply beside him as I loosed it from my grasp, my knees buckling and sending me to the floor. It was only then that I began erupting in great heaving sobs, sobs torn from some place deeper than my heart, deeper than my soul. They came from a special place we had forged together, a place suddenly torn asunder as if by a mighty and uncaring god.

--------------------

This was, after all, the woman who had gone tuk'ata hunting after one had slaughtered her husband...

Jasyn's eyes darkened at that for a moment, and then his thoughts shifted as he wondered just who had done this to Loban. Jasyn hadn't know the young man well, but he had known him somewhat, and certainly knew Galen.

How could the Hand of Fate be so damned cruel to one single person...?

At length, as Galen's sobs began to abate somewhat, Jasyn finally stepped back in, his brown eyes now noticing the clearly obvious...

...and rather deep wound on her left shoulder. As he helped her back to her feet Jasyn winced visibly at the extent of the injury, then spoke up quietly. "Let's get that shoulder taken care of," he said, knowing she probably didn't give a damn about it at the moment.

Why the kriffing hell didn't one of her Jedi "buddies" taken care of this enroute to the Hornett? a little shoulder devil peeped. Stinkin' Jedi...

Jasyn didn't pay that particular devil much mind, but carefully lead Galen to a nearby medic, directing them to take care of her injury. As they did just that, Jasyn yet remained close by, still very much concerned, somehow certain that now was not the time to leave her alone to her despair.

[ 04-17-2003 10:43 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jasyn Lancaster ]

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