Too long.

He returned the lopsided grin Yaoksi's way. "Ten minutes it is. And although I don't know the establishment you speak of--it's been quite some time since I've been to Corellia--it is my home.

And I know a good number of hidey-holes, eating establishments, and bars there. Lemme go grab my satchel. I ahhh...

...don't think I ever unpacked from our little meeting on Sullust. See you at the Oasis in 10."

Saluting then, Aaron turned and headed towards his quarters to do nothing more than pick up his things and return immediately to the Oasis, where he began warming the engines, knowing Yaoksi would not be far behind him. As the engines warmed, he flipped a comm switch that connected him to the main hanger bay.

"Engineering, this is Captain Barnes. I am taking a trip off ship for a few days, and want to make certain that security measures are up and doubly enforced. Once I have departed from the ship on the Oasis, I want you to go to hyperspace and travel back to the outer rim. There you will keep security and maximum alert. Also, see to it that K'khil receives any help, parts, and machinery he needs to fix the [i]Devil[/ii] in my absence. You can reach me on my business frequency at any time while I am away should you need me. Barnes out."

Closing the ocnnection at that, Aaron returned his full attention to the navboard, not too surprised to find himself anxious to be on the way to Corellia.

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

As I came up to the poor, shattered hulk of my beloved corvette I couldn't help but smile. For there, sticking out incongruously from beneath the foredeck, was a pair of chitinous, clawed feet.

I came to a halt beside them.

"Hey K'kihl!" I hollered, giving one appendage a nudge with my boot. "I've got something for ya here..."

From underneath Devil there came a series of chittery sounds, accompanied by the scraping of carapace against durasteel. I was expecting to see the ol' Cricket's mandible-laden head pop out at any moment, but instead was rewarded as yet another appendage made an appearance beside his feet. Said appendage waggled it's nippers somewhat impatiently.

"About time hydrospanner, for me have you procured," the muffled words sounded from the depths of Devil's broken bow.

I sighed with amusement, and placed the pair of hydrospanners in what passed for a hand for K'kihl. They disappeared beneath the hull in the twinkling of an eye; I couldn't be certain but what seemed to be an ecstatic sounding clatter now wafted into my ears.

"I'm taking off with Captain Barnes for a little R & R, pal," I said, holding my breath for all of the three seconds in which I really knew no response would be forthcoming.

I was right. My Verpine buddy was lost in his element: Devil-May-Care entrusted to his skillful touch, and not one but two of his coveted hydrospanners now firmly in hand.

"I'll see ya when the moons turn blue; take care of the ol' girl for me while I'm gone, will ya? The parts you needed should be in inventory for ya now.

"Ciao until my return!"

With that I turned and strode back to where Oasis sat in a powerful thrum of warming engines. The yawning hatch beckoned to me; pausing a moment to consider, I quickly decided that I didn't need to bring anything with me from stores. I had enough credits to buy whatever I might need once we got to our Corellian destination.

Aaron turned to me with a smile as I clambered aboard and took a seat, the hatch gliding to an elegantly quiet closure behind me.

"Ready when you are, pal!" I announced with a sigh of anticipation as I strapped myself in.

"Let's sky!"

[ 05-18-2006 02:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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...and a few bottles of Wyrene's reserve."

Smiling at that, Aaron turned to the navboard, and finalized procedures to depart, clearing the Oasis for take off and then heading to the starry sky outside of the Hornett's main hanger bay. Once this was accomplished, it took him little time to pull up the preprogrammed coordinates for Corellia and punch them into the navcomputer, along with the coordinates for their current destination of Sluis Van.

"Allright," he said at last, turning to Yaoksi one final time, "Time to make ourselves history!"

And with no further ado, Aaron reached for the hyperspace lever, and pushed it forward, causing the Oasis to streak forward and disappear into the great vastness of hyperspace.

[ 05-25-2006 04:15 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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...and the ship ungracefully fell out of hyperspace, instantaneously reverting to realspace and standard engines. Aaron never opened his drink, but instead let his feet, which he had propped on the navboard, slide back down to their appropriate location on the flooring of the ship.

"What the...?" he muttered to himself, sitting up and beginning to key frantically on the navboard of the Oasis, knowing from the sound the ship had just emitted that there was something a little more troubling going on than something in their flight path.

Especially considering they had fallen out of hyperspace and right into open space, not a planet or ship in the sky.

"Oh, Hell," he then growled, looking to Yaoksi. "Corellia is a long way off considering I think my hyperdrive--or something in my hyperdrive--just went kablooey."

He scowled. "The navcomputer says we've fallen out of hyperspace about six standard hours away from Sullust, realspace travel. Something minor might be wrong with the hyperdrive, but with the sound this ship just made...

...she's telling me we're gonna have to land to fix anything."

His scowl grew darker. "Sullust, again. Oh, how wonderful..."

(((OCC: Look for Aaron and Yaoksi to appear in Dark Star, Black Sun in the CSWU.)))

[ 05-25-2006 06:27 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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Having decided that either decrypting the files Link had found or simply turning them over entirely to the Imperials for passage into the Sith worlds--if it was necessary--the remainder of their trip to the Hornett continued to pass quietly...

[ 06-20-2006 10:16 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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And now there was another memory, another one possibly equally as important, although not directly connected to the trail he was now forming in his mind. His eyes vague, he began to speak, knowing others were present but not necessarily addressing any one particular person. "The last time I saw my partner alive," he began, frowning darkly to himself, "He thought the Empire, or rather Admiral Actar, was still after the baby. He even felt he was still after Galen as well..."

He trailed, trying to get grip on where his thoughts were taking him. "Now, if the guys were last on Sullust, and they returned to the Sith worlds to trail Galen, that means they had to somehow get through the Imperial blockade that is there. So what if they never got through that blockade? And what if I've sent Shawn Petrolu off on the wrong trail, and Terrin's suspicion regarding Actar and the Empire should be leading us to that blockade above the Sith worlds instead of the Sith themselves...?"

[ 06-22-2006 01:42 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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He opened a secure frequeny to the command deck. "Hornett command, this is Captain Aaron Barnes requesting clearance to land in the main hanger bay," he stated, then rattling off his command clearance code. Punching the send button on the communit, his message squirted across the secure channel to its intended target aboard the main deck of the SSD. Aaron waited, patiently...

...but he didn't have to wait long. "Captain, this is Hornett communications. You are clear to land, platform 1138."

Needing no further cues than the simple clearance to approach the Hornett, Aaron focused all of his attention on the Indira's navboard. In a few short minutes, they had docked, touched down on platform 1138, and the Indira rested, cooling her engines as Aaron once more stood, now turning to the others.

"After being cooped up on this ship for so long, I'd sure like to get to a dining area and lounge a bit," he admitted. "We'll get what you need to see if you can tap into any of those files you downloaded, and we'll also see if we can make that equipment portable. I hate to say it, but I'm really anxious to get on the move, and bring that info as our bargaining chip should we need one to sooth the Empire into letting us near the Sith worlds. If you can't decrypt it, well...

...there's a more than good chance they will be able to."

Aaron paused, turning fractionally towards Yaoksi. "I'd love to know how the Cricket is coming along with the Devil, and I'm sure that you would."

Stating nothing futher than that, Aaron finally made his way to the hatch of the Indira, hitting the release button which lowered the hatch as a ramp to the durasteel decking of the main docking bay. Across the way Aaron could see the Devil, looking very much more in one piece than she had when they had departed the Hornett...

...with a pair of insectoid legs sticking out from underneath her hull.

Aaron couldn't help but grin. "Hope he had enough hydrospanners for the job," he noted, some mirth creeping into his eyes. Then he turned to Yaoksi. "Shall we see if he's got her at 110 percent yet?"

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

"Or is everyone that did who we are looking for?"

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

...only to then recall how strangely Jebbua had responded when questioned while they were still on the Indira. He therefore softened his reply somewhat. "Yes, there will be those who might have some hard feelings even with the others missing in action."

Including myself, came the mental addendum. Strange query for a Jedi...

wait, Jedi...

Aaron then pushed the send button on his wristcomm, dialed in a channel, and raised it to his lips. "Medbay, this is Captain Barnes. We're bringing in a little girl to you who is approximately nine years old. She has been drugged with an unknown chemical, and I want a tox screen done on her blood...

...and her symptoms treated. We are enroute."

Pushing the commlink's send button, Aaron waited for no reply, but instead turned back to the Indira. Thea had been asleep for far, far too long for a mere tranquilizer...

[ 07-13-2006 12:32 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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OOC: Just letting you all know I'm still here - even though I'm at camp and nearly had a nervous breakdown over my campers today.... This is why I don't teach High School!

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And just why had Thea been coerced to staying there, with that woman, only to then be drugged?

Aaron frowned at this, even as the medic approached them all. The look in her eye gave Aaron pause. "Her vitals are normal, and she is medically healthy. She seems to be unconcious in some sort of dream state," she explained unnecessarily, "But so far our tox screen hasn't identified any known tranquilizer in her system."

The medic paused a moment, allowing this information to digest. Aaron pursed his lips thoughtfully, and honesty a bit angrily...

...and then directed a look right at the medic, realizing something. "Wait a minute," he spoke up, "There is no known tranquilizer in her system.."

He trailed, but only for a moment, "...but there is something, isn't there?"

The medic shifted uncomfortably. "Well, since the time you say she has been unconcscious, whatever it is has been almost completely eliminated from her system...

...but there is a trace of some unknown compound still there. And we are unable to match it with any drug, herbal or synthetic, within our database."

[ 07-25-2006 11:09 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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"Hey," I couldn't help interjecting.

"You mean Thea's still out? And you can't determine why?"

This was not good, oh no, not good at all. My heart just went out to the little gitl--

Dangit, ol' pirate, if you hadn't launched her off to her uncle--

I nipped that guilt-ridden thought off in the bud, focusing on the medic in time to hear her say something about an unknown drug or something.

Chills raced up and down my spine.

What kind of so-called "lady" drugs a child!?

Anger gave me a rush of inspiration.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "If you can isolate whatever it is that's in her bloodstream, can you use it to make an antidote? Maybe it's this unknown stuff that's keeping her knocked out for so long, and maybe an antidote will wake her back up?"

I paused, casting worried glances back and forth between Aaron and the medic, both of whom had turned to hear what gems of wisdom I might have to offer.

I sure hoped I didn't let them down in that regard.

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

...and she already seems to have a very small trace of the compound in her system, as though her internal defenses have already been working to eliminate it. Actually, the team was considering running detox on her blood as a possibility, especially considering she has such low traces of the compound in her bloodstream."

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

In the Elseness, Thoran pressed his hand into the air, touching the faint vibrations of power. It disappeared into nothingness. The temperature beyond was not hot, but not cold. With a deep breath and a shrug Thoran walked through.

It was very dark, but he could breathe and the temperature was very tolerable. He felt around and touched a cold wall that felt like some sort of metal. He knocked on it, and it did not echo. He felt along the wall, coming quickly to a corner, following that, he realized it was a door. He felt for a handle or knob, but found nothing. He tried to reach a finger inside the seam but could not. Frustrated, he banged his head on the wall in front of him.

His horn hit a button on the wall, and the door slid open. Bright artificial light danced in his eyes, and he stumbled out into what appeared to be a hallway. He looked behind from where he came, and a sign in the common galactic language read “Maintenance”. He looked back inside, and saw a shelf with various small pieces of cleaning equipment, a few powered-down cleaning droids, and a data pad. He took that and turned it on.

A screen popped up that read “Hornett deck 7 section I Routine Maintenance Log”. Thoran shrugged and placed it back.

“Well,” he mumbled to himself. “It appears I am on a ship of some sort. The question is where… and when.”

He returned to the hallway and the door slid shut. He sighed, picked a direction, and began walking.

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

One of the men arched an eyebrow, glancing a moment at a fellow security officer. "Ummm... new crew?" he asked his buddy silently, nodding towards the approaching humanoid. "Some dignitary aboard? I mean, robes and all..."

He trailed, eyeing the still-approaching Thoran. His voice got softer, even though it was still directed towards his commrade.

"What the kriffing hell species is he anyway? Never seen an alien quite like him before..."

At this he cut the chatter, and stood more errect, like one would expect from a professional crewman aboard an Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyer. Besides, the red-skinned, horned fellow was approaching...

...and slowing down. "MIght I help you, sir?" the security guard queried, falling silent then, his eyes remaining focused on the alien's eyes.

[ 07-26-2006 04:56 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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Whatever was wrong with thea hopefully their medics would be able to solve it, but their might be another way.

"Yaoski we may have another way to find a way to help thea. I still have the encyrpted data files that woman had, who knows they might have an antidote, I just need the resources to decrypt it."

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

So, humans. Well, hey, some of my best friends are humans! And this one wants to help. Well, I could use a bath after slugging through the swamp…

“Why, yes,” said Thoran, taking on a very friendly demeanor. “I was told to make myself acquainted with Deck 7 Section 1, and someone would come to show me where I can freshen up. But so far nobody has come, and I feel like I have been wandering these halls for hours without anyone showing me where to go. It was an arduous journey, I got dirty, and I really need a refresher. Could you please help me?”

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

No. A great idea.

I gave her shoulder a companionable squeeze, then draped my arm about it.

"Hey Aaron, she might be on to something here. Dang but I all but forgot about those data files! Since that-- that-- woman was the one to use whatever in all the galaxy it was to knock Thea out, it just stands to reason that she'd have record of what it is somewhere in those files! It's worth a shot; and who knows? Maybe Cel's right in that the antidote might be there too.

"You have a computer terminal handy we can hook Cel up to? I'd let her use Devil's, but K'kihl is still working on her, and you know he's a regular ol' mother ikopi when it comes to anyone messing with my ship."

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

Sheesh, he was dirty. And he said he'd just been wandering around here waiting for someone to show him where to go to freshen up? Strange.

The officer wondered which of the Hornett's crew was going to be in deep poodoo for messing this one up. After all, since when is a nice dignitary admitted on ship then left to wander without direction.

Very strange. Not the kind of politics Captain Barnes liked to play on this ship either. And Captain Danner, had he been around, certainly wouldn't tolerate this.

"My apologies for your trouble here," the security officer then said, actually quite sincere...

...but perhaps still a bit suspicious. This was, after all, Eagle Enterprises.

He then reached for the comlink on his belt, unhooked it, and then looked back to Thoran. "If you'll give me your name, I'll contact some of my bosses and see just what the problem is and where you were supposed to be taken so I can get you there."

[ 07-27-2006 10:53 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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“Why, I am Thoran… Lord Thoran. I appreciate your assistance, and as you can see I am tired, hungry, and still very embarrassingly filthy from an incident en route to your fine ship. I do not require much beyond a simple room where I may clean, rest, and perhaps have a bite to eat. Afterwards, I would love to keep my appointment with the captain, who I am sure is expecting me and would be very put out to hear of my inconvenience. I understand such things happen, and rather than cause anyone to be punished, I am more than willing to accept your apologies and forget the entire matter, if only I may have the use of a room for a little while. There would then be no need for you or anyone else to be in trouble over this.”

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

Lord Thoran? Yeesh...

"This way, my Lord." With no further ado, the security officer turned and motioned for a fellow officer to take primary guard of the Deck, then began leading Thoran through a series of corridors til he reached a nondescript set of sliding metal doors. Beside the doors, there was a label which read, Deck Seven Administration. The security officer paused a moment, and turned to Thoran. "We will see what room is available for your immediate use and comfort, my Lord," he then said, turning to key an access code into the door. The door slid obligingly open, revealing a small desk with a computer, and a small unimposing looking woman dressed in a standard Eagle Enterprises uniform.

"May I help you?" she inquired the security officer, looking then to Thoran and nodding politely.

"This sir needs some quarters to refresh and rest," the security officer began. "Captain Barnes will want to know that he has been taken care of well, for he is meeting with him, Lord Thoran of..."

The security officer frowned a moment, glancing back to Thoran. "What planet or people do you represent? We want to make certain the records are clear so that the Captain will know you have been taken care of adequately."

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

...and it's usually fairly quiet there so you can think." He paused then, looking to the awaiting medic. "Go ahead and try a blood detox, and let us know how that goes. Also, keep working on identifying that compound."

The medic nodded once in response to Aaron's instructions, and turned, heading back towards the medical laboratory. Aaron then returned his attention to Yaoksi and Cel. "This way," he said, motioning for the both of them to follow. Leading them to a nearby turbolift that they all stepped into, Aaron requested that the lift take them to Deck 3. Upon arrival on that deck, they once more worked their way through several corridors til at length they came to a set of metal sliding doors with a sign above them that read Hornett Engineering, Deck 3.

Aaron keyed in an access code, and the door slid open. As he lead Yaoksi and Cel into the room, a few workers glanced up from their jobs, quickly returning to them after realizing that the Captain had arrived. Aaron lead his companions deep into the engineering suite, to a back room with not a soul present...

...and about three computer consols waiting to be used. Aaron stepped up to one, keyed in yet another access code, and with a sweeping hand, directed Cel to the chair.

"Please," he then said, "Let me know of anything else you may need. If my engineers don't have it, I'm certain someone here will."

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

“Oh, very well. I am Lord Thoran…”

Thoran smirked.

Oh, why not? No-one will have ever heard of it anyway!

“… of Khar Delba.”

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

The security officer didn't say as much, however. Instead he nodded to the polite lady in administration, who keyed the information in. Then, after keying a few more things into the computer, she turned to Thoran. "We hope you are comfortable here aboard the Hornett, and that your business with Eagle Interprises goes smoothly, sir."

Then she looked to the security officer. "Everything should be set for Lord Thoran to stay in suite 723," she said, handing him a datapad.

The officer nodded once, gave her a small salute, and turned to Thoran. "This way please, my Lord," he asked, motioning for the alien to follow and leading him out of the adminstration office, back through several twisting and turning corridors until he at length found a hallway with a series of metal doors, each labeled with 3-digit numbers: 701, 702...

He lead Thoran down that hallway, through one more turn, til they arrived at 723. He handed Thoran the datapad. "That includes your access code to this room, as well as commlink numbers for Hornett security, should you need to find your way somewhere. And you should also be able to find a map for important locations on Deck 7 including the Deck bar and grill, a dining hall, and a lounging area. I will make certain that the Captain knows where you are my Lord, so that he will know where to contact you. Is there anything else you require, sir?"

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

“Well….” he started. “Aside from a little food, drink, and a chance to refresh, I think I can make do with my own devices for the time being. Thank you, officer…”

Thoran looked at the name embroidered into the officer’s uniform.

“…Landar. I shall mention your name to the captain and relay my deepest appreciation.”

Thoran smiled genuinely, and tapped the code from the datapad into the keypad on the door. It slid open and he turned once more to the officer.

“I look forward to meeting you again, sir,” he said, moving into the room and allowing the door to shut.

Inside Thoran quickly stripped down, ran through a cursory cleaning, and redressed in his underclothing. It was a full body tunic, black, and slightly similar to the type of clothing the humans on the ship wore. It would do, as his robes were filthy and he wished to not put them back on.

He opened a panel in the wall and drawer slid out. Inside was a set of toiletries, and Thoran frowned. He looked around the opulent room, and jumped on the bed. It was soft, and he relished it for a few moments before hunger overtook him and he stood again. He went to the door, took the datapad, and departed, closing the door behind him. He walked down the hall until he saw a sign above a door that read “Deck 7: Blue Asteroid”.

Thoran smiled and went inside, picking a spot at the bar. The bartender glanced up, then did a double take.

“Greetings!” said Thoran. “Officer Landar directed me here for food and drink.”

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