"Ready to hit some hyperspace?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah. I hope this thing is fast."

"You bet," Aaron replied. "Nicely modified, I might add."

As Aaron led the ship into hyperspace, thoughts started merging in Terrin's mind.

Actar was an Imperial. Might be nice to have some New Republic types on your side...just in case...

Once the Rival slipped smoothly into hyperspace, Terrin unstrapped. "Hang tight guys," he said, "I think I have an idea."

With that he headed back for the comm unit, keying in Admiral Noric's comm frequency once again. "Admiral Noric, Terrin Danner. If the offer is still open, I think I might like to meet you on your ship after all..."

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

As they floated into realspace near Coruscant, Terrin felt a bit queasy as he noted the number of capital ships surrounding the planet. For a moment he wished he was in something bigger himself, then a little voice in his head reminded him that all things come in due time.

"There it is," Jasyn said, pointing to a big Bothan cruiser. "This guy knows we are coming, right?"

"Yeah," Terrin replied. "Just hail, tell them who we are and ask for a docking permit."

Within a few minutes, the details had been arranged, and the Rival was settling to dock in the Bothan Cruiser's hanger. Terrin unstrapped from the seat, and Matt and Jasyn followed behind he and Aaron as they descended down the ramp. A New Republic officer met them at the bottom of the ramp and lead them to an office near the bridge of the ship, where Noric sat waiting for them.

Terrin tried his best to push all his concerns aside. He'd sold lots of ships, to the New Republic and the Empire alike, and even more frequently to smugglers and bounty hunters. This shouldn't be any different, but it was. He didn't just need this guy's business, he needed his backing in order to help him get Galen from this Force-using Impy. How he was going to work his way around to that, Terrin wasn't sure.

"Hello, Admiral Noric. I thank you for the hospitality you've given me and my men." Then, motioning to each man as he introduced them, "This is Aaron Barnes, my partner, Jasyn Lancaster and Matt Stanza."

Noric nodded, and everyone exchanged pleasantries. Then Matt and Jasyn went with some of Noric's guys to eat, while Aaron and Terrin stayed back to do a little bargaining.

"So," Terrin said, "tell me what sort of ships you are looking for?"

[ 12-18-2001 10:27 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

He paused and looked at Terrin to see if he could see at all where he was going with this.

"I want to talk to you about a man named Admiral Actar. I beleive you've run into him before. I've been ordered by the New Republic to try and resolve a matter with him. He is wanted by the New Republic Senate. See, while right now we are at peace with the Imperial remnant. They have to stay in their remnant. Actar has gone beyond what he is supposed to do and I am supposed to fix it. I am also to tell you that the New Republic has ordered a halt to all sales of capital ships unless they are for military. I am very sorry about this, its not my idea. They just think that people may sell Actar some ships also. Do you know where I can find him?"

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

"Can't you hear my motored heart? Your the one that started it!"

-Foo Fighters "Generator"

Cogito ergo sum

Terrin frowned inwardly. The one thing that was worse than an Imperial Moff who thinks he sits on top of the Universe is a pushy New Republic official who thinks the NR is the only group of people around who need big ships to protect themselves. Heck, even HE had some ships that packed big boom...

...And what was this about Actar?

This guy wants an Eclipse...to go after the Admiral? Even if he DID make the guy an Eclipse, it'd be a couple of years before the thing would even be ready...

...And Actar had Galen right now...

"Well, as for the Eclipse, yes, I have the resources to have one made, but the things take about two years to complete, and they are the most expensive ship I sell," Terrin began. "And I'm not sure where Actar is. I actually think he might be heading for Coruscant, but I have no definite proof."

Think about the stakes here, buddy. You need an ally high up, but you also need someone that will give you freedom to find Galen on your own before waging a personal war with Actar.

"Actar currently has a pilot of mine and I need to find her first, before the NR takes whatever vengeance out on him that it wants. If Actar suspects that I've lead you to him that'll put my pilot at further risk, and I won't sacrifice finding her sooner in order to make a little business venture. I can make you the Eclipse, but that'll take time. But what I need from you first is the freedom for me and my men to find the person Actar is holding on our own. I suspect in time it will be very apparent where he is without my leading you to him, and I won't allow my company and my employees to be used as pawns to find the guy."

Something told Terrin he might be blowing this sell, but his gut told him that he was doing the right thing in explaining to Noric exactly what he thought. Aaron seemed to be sitting in quiet interest, hopefully understanding what Terrin was thinking and saying.

And Terrin hoped that Noric was understanding him as well.

"That being said, I'd be more than happy to have the ship built for you, if you can afford it and wait the time it'll take to build as well as give me the space I need to deal with Actar. I'm hoping that my doing business with you will give me a NR ally should I need one; nothing more than that," Terrin said, locking his deep blue eyes with the Admiral's a moment to convey his sincerity.

Thinking of something else, he added, "And you must understand that the selling of capital ships for non-military uses, although I sell far more other kinds of ships than I ever will capital ones, is still a substantial part of my business. There are far more nasties out in the galaxy that people want to protect themselves from than the Imperial Remnant, and I believe you yourself own a ship or two that you have used for less than New Republic sponsored activity. I'll admit that I own an a capital ship myself, and my reasons for needing one on hand are highly justifiable. You must trust me and the people that sell ships as I do that we do not sell to just any Tom, Dick, or Harry. And considering that Actar is an Imperial Admiral, I doubt that he gets his capital ships from any other than Imperial Remnant sources.

"Now," Terrin finally said, realizing full well that he was preaching to a New Republic Admiral, "If you wish to continue business with me, by all means contact Scott Garber at comm frequency 101247 and he will make the arrangements. I meanwhile must be on my way; I have a pilot to find, and I have no more time to spare."

With that he stood, followed by Aaron, and headed for the door to the Admiral's office...

[ 12-18-2001 02:00 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Jasyn turned to grin at Matt. "I thought the two were one and the same."

Matt frowned. Better limit Jasyn's intake of Whyrene's Reserve on the next trip. "We generally don't swipe stuff from our buyers," he whispered, leaning in so that only Jasyn could hear.

"I'm not swiping. I'm borrowing."

"Put it back now," Matt insisted, glaring at his commrade

"Fine," Jasyn growled. Then he added, "You still keeping tabs on it?"

"Yeah, I am."

About this time, Aaron and Terrin entered the mess hall of the Cruiser. Terrin tilted his head in the direction of the docking bay. "We're going."

Matt turned to give Jasyn one more reprimanding look, then stood. Jasyn followed.

As they got aboard Otana's Rival and headed to their next destination, Terrin frowned. He didn't even think he wanted to know how much Jasyn had had to drink.

[ 12-18-2001 09:12 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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

Aaron hit a the comm switch on his wristcomm, yet another communications device designed to be completely untraceable--not that anyone would understand the coded message that would follow. The precautions that would need to be taken far exceeded the ridiculousness of what was being said.

"Eagle fly the coop, fast," he said into the comm.

In moments each of the capital ships of Eagle Enterprises would be in so many different locations no one would ever truly be able to find any of them. And the situation would remain thus until the order was withdrawn by a special instruction that only two people in the universe knew.

Meanwhile, the Lexus would await the return of its Captain and hopefully two others; with an added deflector shield to the two most Imperial Star Destroyers had, damage would be almost impossible to inflict with anything other than another Star Destroyer. With the order given, Aaron could now only wait...

[ 12-19-2001 09:32 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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

"Aaron, we're in. Get us out of here," he said.

As Terrin shut the few systems down the ship had and popped the hatch, the Lexus made a smooth jump into hyperspace.

Letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, he stumbled out of the transport again and helped Galen out of the quirky little ship, wrapping arms around her as if to make sure she really was with him. Jasyn remained in the "backseat" a bit longer before he exited, collecting the things he'd brought along before getting out.

Smiling a bit, he gave Terrin a quick saluate. "Catch you later on deck, now that you are going to be a wanted man."

As Jasyn walked away, Terrin shuddered just a bit. As if he weren't already wanted for another certain atrocity he had recently committed. But at least he knew the Nar Khelba was still safely in their hands.

He released his grip upon her, at last draping an arm around her as they proceeded out of the hanger of the in-transit ship. Suddenly curious, he glanced over at her and said, smiling just a bit, "I don't know how you managed to get out of that one Sweetheart, but you never cease to amaze me..."

[ 12-19-2001 11:22 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

I put a hand up on Terrin's shoulder, tugging softly to stop him in his tracks. He obliged with a smile, and turned to me, his arms going around me like the most natural thing in the world.

I reached up to touch his face. "It's going to take a lot more than that to keep me from you, you know," I said softly. Then I reached up on tiptoe and planted a kiss equally as soft on his lips.

Going back on solid footing, I now found the smile on my face being supplanted by a rapidly developing frown and an accompanying sense of urgency which in turn was growing at a logarithmic rate.

"Get us out of here, my love," I whispered, pinning my brown eyes on his deep blue ones. "I don't care where; just get us away from this hell we've been in, as quickly and as far as you can! I have a bad feeling--"

I stopped with that, my eyes suddenly drooping, my muscles turning into jelly as events over the past day or so finally caught up with me. The last thing I remembered was the look Terrin gave me...

...then I passed out in his arms.

What a nice way to go....

[ 12-19-2001 11:54 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

One trip to the medical wing later, after making sure she had a good dose of supplement injected to make up for that which had been missed in the past few days, they both were ordered for some rest. As Terrin had suspected from the attack by the Noghri, he'd acquired a good few bruised ribs--a pain which he'd somehow managed to force himself to ignore til he was reminded of it.

Certain that the Lexus was safely in hyperspace and that Aaron was staying on the command deck keeping an eye on things, Terrin appropriated a suite not too far from the bridge in which he and Galen could rest. Falling into a fitful sleep, he wondered just how far away they could run...

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

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