She ignored Shawn’s puzzled look, and gave him an explanation.

“The blockade makes it all possible,” Kani explained. “For inbound ships it sits just outside the planets gravity well. Jump too far out the blockade deters you, too close your stuck in between the planet energy shield and the blockade fleet. Out bound traffic needs clearance planet side otherwise they raise the shield and then has to clear the blockade before jumping. Luckily the shield is down until they need it. Because of the cloak we can wait in the zone between the planetary shield and the blockade while we recharge. Any traffic in the area will only be in approved Imperial lanes, that we can avoid.”

...I'm assuming you know where to get one and how to get to it," he said with a returned smile, as if sensing what she was thinking.

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

Kani rested her chin in her hand and revealed a very mischievous grin.

"Perfect," he responded, meaning the word quite sincerely.

For perhaps the only time he would ever admit it to himself, maybe it was a good thing he coudn't quite heal all of Kani's injuries. Still, he could do more for her...

Shawn shook himself from these thoughts. There would be time for that later.

"I'm ready whenever you are, then," he stated, knowing there was no time like the present. "After all, we still have the task of finding Tarnus after we get ourselves through all this, and we certainly can't do that in our current situation."

[ 01-06-2019 05:00 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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

Kani knew their options were limited, hunted by the Empire on the most secure world in the Galaxy. Not only that but her current injuries reinforced her need to depend on others for mere survival. However in spite of all those thing, she felt more at ease than anytime since her childhood.

“I only need a few more things to really sell this to any prying eyes,” said Kani. “We are going to need a repulsor chair, some hastily applied bandages, and we need to do something about those clothes.”

Over in a corner Kani identified the bag she had told Shawn to grab, the one that contained her armor and other equipment. She needed to test the extent of her physical abilities, so forcing her muscles to respond Kani stood and hobbled over to the bag.

There is still some residual nerve damage, combat may prove to be a problem. True there are techniques that I maybe able to draw on but not without jeopardizing our second phase. Deception will better serve us here.

Kani settled down next to the bag sifting through its contents and withdrew a med kit, small knife, her pair of slug thrower pistols, and cache of data cards. She slid the knife to Shawn, and began to apply bandages to her wrists and she side of her face that bore the brunt of damage from the exploding stun cuffs. Caring little for professional appearance in that regard, she wanted them to appear self applied in haste. With her eye though she took more care applying a bandage.

"I'm assuming the Ambassador needs to make a call to request a repulsorlift chair for his injured security chief," he then stated, pursing his lips slightly, "Unless we are just going to ahhhh.... borrow one on our way to where we're headed, which I can make happen as well..."

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

“Your telling me a minor case of larceny is the issue,” Kani joked. “Today I have literally blown up a fuel truck, speeder, warehouse, and hotel suite. Our plan involves stealing a top secret cloak capable vessel, we already stole a speeder. But a floaty chair presents concerns. I’ll make sure that our follow up operation of robbing a bank includes zero jay walking.”

Finishing with the bandages Kani felt conviced there was little more they could do to prepare.

He cocked a brow slightly at her. "Sounds like we're ready to do this and get off this blasted industrial rock," he then said. "And the faster we get that repulsorlift chair, the better it'll be for you anyway," he added as Kani unsteadily took the lead, obviously knowing exactly where they were headed.

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

“Hold up I think I found one,” Kani said.

Stopping out side a room she checked again.

Older model, but appears to be in decent condition. Better still the occupant is out.

Kani reached out a hand placing it onto the door release. Closing the eyes she exhaled and focused on the mechanism. First she called for the air to remain perfectly still, then she grabbed onto the mechanism itself quickly pulling it back. It casually was ripped from the door, her prior trick ensuring the sound did not transmit through the air. She motioned for Shawn to help her to the chair, easing into it she found that although it was not in great condition it would work for their purposes. Powering it up the chair hovered to 30 centimeters off the ground.

"Hey, where do you think you're going with that?!?" a gold-skinned Nothoiin exclaimed as they were departing the hotel Shawn had secured with the stolen chair.

Shawn put on his stuck up Ambassador persona...and added a little bit of something else. "It's not your concern where we are going!" he said with a wave of his hand.

The Nothoiin paused where he stood, frowning a bit, and appeared to even be considering arguing back.

But Shawn did know something of his race being that of a noble, respectable one. "My security officer is injured after protecting me from attack," he said then, allowing the look on his face to turn angry. "She needs medical attention."

The Nothoiin cocked his head, as if considering once more, then stepped back, signing something in his native language that Shawn was fairly certain was a cross between sympathy and well wishes.

He and Kani continued on towards the docking area, and mentally Shawn could only hope that they could get where they were going as easily as they'd aquired the chair.

But really, knowing the Imperials and what had happened since they had been on Coruscant, he really doubted it.

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

A flicker of numbers scrolled across the board in front of me, telling me of this little fact, along with the myriad others which now whisked from right to left, informing me of altitude, vector, velocity, as well as coordinates as to my location which seemed to change by the nanosecond.

One little bit of information informed me that auto tracking was in place, with auto-guidance now kicking in to lead me to my usual landing pad.

Well... to his usual landing pad, that is.

I studied the board in front of me, reaching out as I quickly and correctly deciphered the particular sigil that meant "override." This I punched, followed it quickly by inputting the coordinates to the major landing pad of Imperial HQ.

Might just as well make your entrance a good one! I smiled darkly as the ship slewed off it's former course to take up the new. It wasn't long before she had found a berth on a particularly large landing pad on HQ's tarmac, one obviously intended for peeps of high rank or visitors of the same.

Consider me both.

I wiped the even darker smile off my face, rose to my feet. Smoothing my clothing, I let the ship quiet itself into semi-torpor, opened the hatch, and stopped in that opening to confront a squadron of Honor Troopers, all standing in perfect attention.

To a one, they snapped to attention, dropped the salute only when I allowed them to.

Buddy, you've still got it. Thanks be to your mentor... and more than likely to Galen too.

I stepped forward then, strode upright and full of Imperial self-importance, my posture daring anyone present to so much as squeak. None did; they merely turned as one as I approached their phalanx, breaking in the middle and facing inward toward the Corridor of Honor they had awarded me.

Yup, I sure do. In more ways than one.

I paused, singling out the Squad Leader by his golden shoulder pauldron. Without offering any explanation, I spat him an order:

"Find NW-1154. This one is to be sent immediately to my ready room."

To the fact that the Third-in-Command was giving a direct order to a lowly squad leader did not result in so much as a blink of an eye. My lip curled.

It was good to hold that kind of power.

Turning away from them, I headed on across the tarmac, seeking further transport to the Command Room of Imperial HQ. The guard followed as I knew they would, providing me with not only escort but protection.

Time to get this show on the road, Tarnus...

[ 01-16-2019 03:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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

“This is NW-1154,” Kani answered. “Channel secure transmit message.”

There was a few moment of silence before a voice heavily obscured by static but still audible came in from the distant end.

“NW-1154,” came the static voice. “Night Whisper Controller, General Tarnus has returned and issued a recall order. Suspend your current mission and report directly to him. End of Message, Night Whisper Controller Out.”

The line went dead leaving them in silence.

If that was an official message that’s how it would go down. A ploy by Actar or one of his flunkies would use Actar’s name not Tarnus. And if they truly suspected me there would be a planet wide lock down not this level of subtlety. No Imperial Officer would allow a rouge Night Whisper to run unchecked.

Refocusing his eyes on Kani, Shawn nodded. "He's here, I'm certain of it," he stated. "And I don't have any sense of a threat towards us through the Force either."

He paused, for the barest of moments, just to stretch out and confirm what he had said via his senses. "Let's report in and find out what's going on."

And what's next.

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

“I agree as well,” Kani replied. “It appears to be too simple to be a trap set by Actar. Still it never hurts to be cautious.”

She reached back for her datapad stowed in her bad. It was slightly beyond her reach so she used a slight pull of the Force to bring it close enough for her to grab. With datapad in hand Kani pulled up a public access map of the Imperial base. Highlighting an entry point on the opposite side of the main entrance, she turned the screen for Shawn to see.

...and then faded as he once again noted Kani's injuries. Although his senses told him that all was in order regarding the call for Kani to return to base, straight to Tarnus, he still had some concern that if this was in fact a ruse she might not physically be up for any conflict.

Like she would admit that though even if every nerve in her body was screaming in pain, he thought to himself.

Shaking himsef from such thoughts, he got to his feet, unloaded the repulsor lift chair and helped Kani get back into it before they began heading towards where Kani had indicated on the map. He was certain to act the part of the dignified and pompous dignitary, clearly insulted about something. Likewise he was very prepared to argue with anyone who stopped them, brushing past them to lodge his formal complaint. They had no interruptions, however, as they moved on. Shawn frowned slightly to himself at that, wondering if perhaps this was all too easy. He knew without voicing said thoughts that Kani may be thinking the same exact thing...

...or perhaps sensing what he thought. Even as they got closer to their destination, another thought struck Shawn, one prompted by something Kani said.

Tarnus was expecting Kani, an aqua-skinned Twi'lek and a Jedi wearing blue robes with brown hair and sea green eyes. Hmmm....

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

With her injuries Kani did draw attention, but was quickly dismissed by everyone around them. This assessment suited her because it allowed her to focus on the guards without breaking character. What she observed brought her some relief.

Those are Stormtroopers, but the level of attention I’m garnering is because it looks like I’m a twi’lek. If they were looking for me specifically those troopers however disciplined would be panicking at every twi’lek being a hidden storm commando waiting to murder them. I think we are golden.

“They aren’t looking for me” Kani relayed. “I got this.”

Kani waited until it was they were signaled to come forward to be identified. Once they moved to the spot the guards indicated Kani reached into a pocket and withdrew a rank cylinder and held it out without comment. A new guard, one Kani guessed was in charge of this post, came forward taking the cylinder and inserted it into a datapad. That guard read his screen before removing the cylinder and handing it back to Kani. The guard then stood waiting, ready to receive further instructions.

“General Tarnus is expecting us,” Kani commented. “Have one of your men take us to him.”

The guard nodded in acknowledgment before relaying orders to have a speeder brought around for Shawn and Kani. Both of them hopped aboard being brought across the base to it main headquarters. Then indicating the Generals orders for her to be brought to his ready room. The same guard tried to have Shawn wait outside but Kani wouldn’t allow that.

“No I was told to keep this one with me,” Kani answered. “Leave us.”

Kani waited until the guard departed leaving them alone in what appeared to be a room suited for mission briefing and planning.

"It is absolutely possible," Shawn responded then, reaching out to place a hand on her arm while stretching out into the Force. From there he touched that which was the Living Force, connecting himself with both Kani and the healing energies that he was able to pull from all that surrounded them. Because Healing was a gift to him--and his sister as well--Shawn was able to direct healing energies to Kani's nerves while also keeping some awareness of all that was going on around them. He did, however, lose some track of time, so he was uncertain how long they were actually waiting.

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

"This is Captain Terrin Danner, seeking the assistance of the Empire and Lieutenant General Sorben Tarnus. My wife, Galen, is is currently stranded on a disabled ship running on emergency power and emitting only a simple SOS. We have been unable to devise any way to contact her or locate her ship, and time is of essence."

Terrin paused. "I know with your resources you are my best shot at finding her safely. I'm hoping we can work together to do so."

[ 01-27-2019 08:18 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

And in that regard his disappearance was taken as a matter of course to correlate with my absconding with his ship. So far no one had even bothered to put two and two together; now sitting in my Ready Room, I remained entirely unmolested. I glanced at my chrono... and dared let out a small sigh of relief.

That sigh was nipped in the bud when an insistent light started beeping on my desk. Instinct raised my hackles, but logic forced them back down. I mean, it was going to behoove me in the long run to keep my eyes peeled 540 degrees at all times, but since this little light was blinking lieu of a squadron of the Empire's finest bursting through the door, I decided that it was indeed simply what it looked like.

Drawing a breath to compose myself, I toggled a switch.

"Yes-?"

I was quickly informed I had an incoming transmission from a Terrin Danner of Eagle Enterprises, and did I wish to receive it or should they deal with it as they would other routine transmissions of the sort, Sir? My eyes widening at the serendipity of the moment, I kept my voice steady and flipped the switch to transmit.

"Send it to me, please," I replied to HQ, and soon found myself occupied with the message being sent...

Not to mention reading between the lines of said message.

Galen, what in the name of all the Spice on Kessel have you gotten yourself into now? I couldn't help but think. I'm out of your life for only a moment, it seems, and you go off and--

And what?

"I'll be dealing with this one myself," I sent back to HQ, finishing with "Lt. General Tarnus, out," before toggling more switches to open a secured, scrambled line back to the waiting Mr. Danner.

"How may I be of assistance, Terrin?" I sent off, hoping my use of this given name would send with it the subtle nuance that what he might be thinking of me at this moment in time just could be entirely wrong, yes indeed it could.

((Sorben's message goes out this date to Tales of Strength, Life of Honor in the CSWU forums, thank you.))

[ 01-28-2019 01:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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

"We've been able to narrow down the location of the ship Galen is on to a quadrant of the galaxy, but nothing further. She's on a Mandalorian ship and not on one of our ships, or else I might be able to track her. I don't have near the ships we'd need to possibly pick up on that SOS signal and triangulate her location, either. You’ve obviously got way more access to ships and to even the Holonet grid to pick up that signal and maybe get a lock on her location than I do. Right now she’s wearing Mandalorian armor powered by a backup battery, which only gives us a few days, and even that might be stretching it." Terrin paused a moment, pursing his lips a bit before finishing with, “I can send you a map marked with the area we’ve narrowed down her location to, via the Mandalorian Jedi we’ve got on board. He’s got some contact with her….”

Terrin trailed, sighing. His concern and worry an almost palpable thing. “But right now that’s all I’ve got.”

[ 01-28-2019 05:40 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

From where?

I pushed this aside - after all, didn't she come zipping in to rescue you and K'kihl in a Sith ship, of all things? Remind me never EVER to play sabaac with her, she's got more luck...

I then pushed THAT away, and placing my hand over my mouth pondered my next move. For of course I wanted to help, but I had to do it in such a way that the forces beneath me would accept. After all, it would make more sense to be capturing these people now, wouldn't it? I mean, didn't they...

The thought died a-borning.

Didn't they WHAT?

What had Eagle Enterprises done lately to warrant arrest of any of their employees by Imperial Forces? For while the causal factor was still something of a mystery to the Empire in general, I knew the ones who blasted my fleet were not this small business, but rather the Sith whom no one knew diddly about.

Hmmm... now there was an angle...

A Mandalorian ship.

I gathered myself together, toggled the communications switch again and opened the relay.

"Send the map of her general whereabouts; as soon as it's here I can send help. A lot of help, in fact. More than a lot, if she's anywhere close to the Galactic Core worlds.

"Tarnus, over."

I sent the reply winging across the HoloNet, then toggled HQ.

"I am ordering the deployment of a full Heavy Super Star Destroyer armada with accompanying Aggressor and Adz destroyers, all with full complement of interceptors, fighter wings and CR-90s."

I pause for a hair's-breadth, then thought, why not? Now's as good a time as any to break the news.

"General Swatzi was found assassinated on Ambria, and Admiral Actar is missing. Stand by to receive coordinates for a FULL rose plot search for the Admiral; it is thought he left in his usual manner but in a..."

In for a credit, as Galen was wont to say!

"...Mandalorian ship of unknown procurement. Ambrian intel believes he may have run into trouble somewhere near the Outer Rim; again, hold for final coordinates.

"Lt. General Tarnus, out."

((OOC: Message goes off to Tales of Strength, Life of Honor in the CSWU forums, thank you.))

[ 01-28-2019 06:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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

"Map incoming. I'll see if Master Jetiis'ad can communicate with Galen that she's probably going to get picked up by the Empire to lessen the...surprise. Until then, I'll keep trying to get some sort of lock on her from our end, with the resources we've got. Please, keep me posted. And--"

"Thank you in advance. Please keep me posted."

[ 01-28-2019 08:25 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

At least they've got her generally located to a particular quadrant, and it seems to be in a fairly unpopulated section of space. How they managed to get this far is beyond me, but that's just a little detail we can iron out later.

Dismissing Terrin for the moment, I brought up HQ again.

"Sending coordinates of search area; deploy all ships in armada once reaching general area at extreme overlap of sensors. I don't want a single ship out of contact with any others, but I want them all in use.

"When target is located, attempt no hostile actions. Tractor ship and bring it back to Headquarters.

"Do it... NOW."

Knowing my orders were being carried out I sent final reassurance to Danner.

"They're on their way. We'll keep you apprised of the situation. Lt. General Tarnus, out."

With that I let out a brief exhalation of breath, then settled more comfortably in my seat. Next on my agenda: the reunion with Kani. I'd been notified she'd been found and told to report to me; all I could do now was await her arrival.

((OOC: Message goes off to Tales of Strength, Life of Honor in the Empire and New Republic forums, thank you.))

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

“I think we’ll need to put this on hold,” Kani commented. “Hopefully when this is over we can get back to this, or bacta.”

There was a knock on the door followed by a few seconds delay before the team of four Stormtroopers entered. They attempted to position themselves around Kani, between her and Shawn. Apparently their aim was to separate them, something that Kani was having none of.

“No I am under orders to keep the Jedi under watch,” Kani winced at having to refer to Shawn as Jedi to maintain her position. “He comes with us, he can wait outside the General’s office until called for.”

The Stormtroopers backed off allowing Shawn to maintain his position behind Kani’s chair. Then they led the pair a short distance down the hall to the entrance of Tarnus’s ready room.

“Don’t worry I got this Shawn,” Kani relayed through her thoughts.

One of the Stormtroopers moved to guide her chair inside the ready room, Kani cut them off with an outstretched hand. Gently she nudged her chair with the Force closer to the door. She knocked twice then waiting a few seconds and hearing no objection from the other end she used the Force to gently open the door, move her chair inside, and close the door behind her.

Lets see how he reacts to that small display, that may tell me what Actar did to him if anything.

Not wanting to give to much away from the beginning Kani maneuvered her chair opposite Tarnus with his rather imposing desk in between them. She rendered a rather shaky salute to Tarnus, glad that the healing Shawn performed eliminated the sensation in her nerves of being burned alive.

Galactically speaking, of course.

Nodding a little I flicked the monitor to standby, settled back in my chair and raised my eyes all in one motion. "Kani-" I began, seeking from the start to make her more comfortable by using her given name rather than the more formal one of rank and last name...

And froze.

Seated before me in a repulsor-chair was scruffy Twi'lek fem who looked a bit on the worse-for-wear side. Behind her, the door to my room was just closing. No one was there to push the chair.

My hand flashed to the comm unit, moving to toggle and alert HQ, when thank the ghods on Yavin my Hunter's reflexes leaped into play and brought the instinctive motion to a screeching halt. Frozen yet, I allowed myself a moment or two to simply look at this person sitting berfore me, her obviously injured body fairly oozing with a certain familiar elan.

"Khani-?! Wha-?"

I snapped my mouth closed, suddenly aware that with it hanging open I was probably looking like nothing better than a gandyrak in headlights. Hardly the demeanor a gentle-being newly elevated to the position of Boss Baby of the Entire frakking Empire should wield.

Forcing surprise into a semblance of humor, I quirked a brow at her.

"You're looking... well," I finally said, following those words with,

"Did you come alone?"

[ 01-29-2019 09:06 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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