Post by gcrust on Jan 5, 2012 21:54:14 GMT -5
Republican Transport Wayfarer - Hyperspace
Deft fingers quickly but gently extracted the various pieces of the plasma carbine sitting on a armored lap. Each piece was extracted, held up to better lighting, inspected, and then replaced.
Sergent Cabbot had had a lot of practice at the inspection ritual in the four years he'd been in the Republic Armed Forces, but moreso on the long, two week voyage through Hyperspace to the war wracked planet of Alderaan.
Cabbot had reservations about this mission, especially the fact he was the sole trooper assigned to bodyguard the Jedi representative - who happened to be a newly minted Jedi Knight in his own right.
Cabbot snorted mentally. What he really wanted to call the Knight was Green - but that would be a bit of a faus pas considering the Knight in question was a Mirialan.
Cabbot held another piece of the plasma carbine up to his left eye (His right eye was covered in a cybernetic 'patch'. That, along with the horrible scarring along the right side of his face, was testimony to a training accident, when then Recruit Cabbot had learned the golden rule: Once the Button Was Pressed, Mister Grenade is No Longer Your Friend), and tried not to dwell on the seeming insanity of sending a lone Jedi Knight with a single Trooper escort to mediate a dispute among the Republic Friendly Organa Clan on Alderaan. At the very least, one would think a more sizable show of force might be in order.
Cabbot sighed and finished reassembling his carbine. He had no business questioning command, but...
His thoughts were interrupted by the opening of a sleeping chamber hatch into the general commons area where Cabbot was working. Turning his head, he noticed it was the blue robed Mirialan Knight he was supposed to be assigned to guarding. Cabbot had to admit, the Jedi's dark green pigment, pale yellow eyes, and shockingly white hair made him stand out, but Cabbot couldn't help but notice just how scrawny the Knight was. His experience with the Jedi had always been with powerfully built individuals not runts who didn't look like they could lift a lightsaber.
The Knight smiled politely as he made his way over to Cabbot. Stopping next to the Sargent, the Jedi bowed. "Sergent Cabbot."
"Master Kendo." Cabbot returned politely.
Kendo Thrace's smile went a bit crooked. "I was wondering Sergent, would you care to share some personal insights into our mission?"
Cabbot's face smoothed into non-expression and Kendo suppressed the urge to laugh.
"I don't mean to pry on your mind, Sergent. It's just you're blasting your disapproval of this entire mission rather strongly."
"It's not that I disapprove, Master Jedi." Cabbot remarked cautiously. "I just don't think Command's sending enough manpower for this op."
"On the face of it, I agree with you." Kendo replied, sitting down in a chair adjacent to the Trooper. "At the same time, the Republic is taking a bit of a "hands off" approach to Alderaan's civil war. While the Chancellor and the Senate would love to see the Organas claim the throne, we cannot be seen as influencing the balance of power on the planet. Especially not on the heels of their declaration of independence from the Republic just before their last ruler was killed."
"So you're saying the smaller a force the Republic sends, the less likely it is the Alderaanians will see us as being a conquering force like the Empire?"
Kendo nodded. "We know the Empire is actively backing House Thul, and while it's not secret the Organas are Republic sympathizers, there's a difference between sympathetic and outright collaboration. A lone Jedi Knight with a single armed escort isn't going to raise any eyebrows the way a Jedi Master traveling with a full company would."
Cabbot stroked his chin in thought. "Honestly? I hadn't thought of it that way, Master Jedi."
"Please, just call me Kendo." Thrace smiled. "The journey's long enough without both of us sticking to purely formal modes of address."
"It rubs against what they train in Basic, sir but..." Cabbot answered the smile with one of his own. "I suppose I could try."
"Good!" Kendo's right hand smacked the table with a crack. "In that case, why don't you and I head down to the training area and have a sparring match? While I doubt we'll see anything in the way of hostilities, Alderaan is still very much unfriendly territory. It won't hurt to be prepared for anything."
"I suppose not." Cabbot shrugged. "Besides, it'll give me something more interesting to do then pull apart the armory and put it back together again."
"Fantastic!" Kendo smiled and stood. "In that case, I'll see you there."
Cabbot watched the Jedi walk away with some bemusement, wondering if the scrawny kid would last five minutes in a straight up combat sim. He did catch sight of something he hadn't noticed before though as the Jedi exited the commons into the corridor beyond. Cabbot never realized the Jedi had carried TWO lightsabers...
Imperial Attack Craft Z'ha'dum, Planet Alderaan
"What is thy bidding, my master?"
The foreboding figure knelt at the base of the holoprojector. Up until this very planet, he had worn the robes of a apprentice - powerfully built but without the sinister ornamentation of a true Sith Warrior. Now, dressed in a terrible armor of dark gray and black, with a dark purple helmet covering the trademark cranial horns and facial tattoos of the Zabrak people, that figure awaited the word of his master - the Sith Lord Darth Baras.
"We may have a...complication." Baras remarked without preamble. "A Republican transport is heading for Alderaan to settle a internal dispute for House Organa. The transport is carrying a Jedi Knight."
"And this troubles us how?" The Juggernaut known as Daedran asked. Baras seethed internally. Ever since allowing his apprentice a true mantle of the Sith, he had become bolder, questioning his directives more. Still, the question had merit.
"As it so happens, the internal dispute is the result of the machinations of one of my agents." Baras said. "Should the Jedi stumble upon this agent..."
"Do you want this person eliminated?"
"That shouldn't be necessary." Baras replied. "Granted, it's not off the table completely, but I'd rather not have to try to infiltrate the Organas again if we can avoid it. No, I was thinking more about drawing the Jedi out into a confrontation and killing him."
Daedran smiled under his helmet. "I like it. Simple and easy to remember."
"Not so simple as it may appear." Baras warned. "This Jedi is also traveling in the company of a Republican Trooper."
"He is not a Force user. He is of no consequence."
"Do not underestimate the Republican Armed Forces, my Apprentice." Baras cautioned. "Thus far, you have only contended with the Republic's security forces. Their standing army is used to fighting Sith. Do not underestimate him."
"I won't, Master." Daedran replied, lowering his head. "If you wish this Jedi and his companion dead, then I shall deliver you both their heads."
"See that you do not fail me in this, apprentice." Baras remarked, then vanished.
"Well," A figure remarked, stepping out of the shadows of the room. A scarred visage twisted in a parody of a smile, while pure black lenses covered the eyes, lined with glowing red rings. "That was Darth Baras? Not quite as impressive as say Darth Jaedus, but then again who is?"
"Watch your tongue if you desire to keep it." Daedran cautioned as he stood. "My master has ears and eyes everywhere."
"But of course, my Lord." The Imperial smiled and bowed dramatically. "I am, after all, but a humble servant."
Daedran snorted. Since arriving on this planet, the Juggernaut had co-opted the services of one of Imperial Intelligence's chief operatives in the region, a man known only as Javron. He had a very informal method of address to his betters, but Daedran didn't mind. Sometimes, it was good not to be feared.
It will make it all the sweeter when I do make him fear me. Daedran thought.
"Well then, 'Humble Servant'." Daedran said aloud. "I believe it's time we be off."
"Where to, my lord?" Javron inquired as the Sith stalked past him.
"Where else? Let's go inspect the Organaians defenses before our Jedi friend arrives."
TO BE CONTINUED IN WAYS OF THE FORCE - PASSIONS
Deft fingers quickly but gently extracted the various pieces of the plasma carbine sitting on a armored lap. Each piece was extracted, held up to better lighting, inspected, and then replaced.
Sergent Cabbot had had a lot of practice at the inspection ritual in the four years he'd been in the Republic Armed Forces, but moreso on the long, two week voyage through Hyperspace to the war wracked planet of Alderaan.
Cabbot had reservations about this mission, especially the fact he was the sole trooper assigned to bodyguard the Jedi representative - who happened to be a newly minted Jedi Knight in his own right.
Cabbot snorted mentally. What he really wanted to call the Knight was Green - but that would be a bit of a faus pas considering the Knight in question was a Mirialan.
Cabbot held another piece of the plasma carbine up to his left eye (His right eye was covered in a cybernetic 'patch'. That, along with the horrible scarring along the right side of his face, was testimony to a training accident, when then Recruit Cabbot had learned the golden rule: Once the Button Was Pressed, Mister Grenade is No Longer Your Friend), and tried not to dwell on the seeming insanity of sending a lone Jedi Knight with a single Trooper escort to mediate a dispute among the Republic Friendly Organa Clan on Alderaan. At the very least, one would think a more sizable show of force might be in order.
Cabbot sighed and finished reassembling his carbine. He had no business questioning command, but...
His thoughts were interrupted by the opening of a sleeping chamber hatch into the general commons area where Cabbot was working. Turning his head, he noticed it was the blue robed Mirialan Knight he was supposed to be assigned to guarding. Cabbot had to admit, the Jedi's dark green pigment, pale yellow eyes, and shockingly white hair made him stand out, but Cabbot couldn't help but notice just how scrawny the Knight was. His experience with the Jedi had always been with powerfully built individuals not runts who didn't look like they could lift a lightsaber.
The Knight smiled politely as he made his way over to Cabbot. Stopping next to the Sargent, the Jedi bowed. "Sergent Cabbot."
"Master Kendo." Cabbot returned politely.
Kendo Thrace's smile went a bit crooked. "I was wondering Sergent, would you care to share some personal insights into our mission?"
Cabbot's face smoothed into non-expression and Kendo suppressed the urge to laugh.
"I don't mean to pry on your mind, Sergent. It's just you're blasting your disapproval of this entire mission rather strongly."
"It's not that I disapprove, Master Jedi." Cabbot remarked cautiously. "I just don't think Command's sending enough manpower for this op."
"On the face of it, I agree with you." Kendo replied, sitting down in a chair adjacent to the Trooper. "At the same time, the Republic is taking a bit of a "hands off" approach to Alderaan's civil war. While the Chancellor and the Senate would love to see the Organas claim the throne, we cannot be seen as influencing the balance of power on the planet. Especially not on the heels of their declaration of independence from the Republic just before their last ruler was killed."
"So you're saying the smaller a force the Republic sends, the less likely it is the Alderaanians will see us as being a conquering force like the Empire?"
Kendo nodded. "We know the Empire is actively backing House Thul, and while it's not secret the Organas are Republic sympathizers, there's a difference between sympathetic and outright collaboration. A lone Jedi Knight with a single armed escort isn't going to raise any eyebrows the way a Jedi Master traveling with a full company would."
Cabbot stroked his chin in thought. "Honestly? I hadn't thought of it that way, Master Jedi."
"Please, just call me Kendo." Thrace smiled. "The journey's long enough without both of us sticking to purely formal modes of address."
"It rubs against what they train in Basic, sir but..." Cabbot answered the smile with one of his own. "I suppose I could try."
"Good!" Kendo's right hand smacked the table with a crack. "In that case, why don't you and I head down to the training area and have a sparring match? While I doubt we'll see anything in the way of hostilities, Alderaan is still very much unfriendly territory. It won't hurt to be prepared for anything."
"I suppose not." Cabbot shrugged. "Besides, it'll give me something more interesting to do then pull apart the armory and put it back together again."
"Fantastic!" Kendo smiled and stood. "In that case, I'll see you there."
Cabbot watched the Jedi walk away with some bemusement, wondering if the scrawny kid would last five minutes in a straight up combat sim. He did catch sight of something he hadn't noticed before though as the Jedi exited the commons into the corridor beyond. Cabbot never realized the Jedi had carried TWO lightsabers...
Imperial Attack Craft Z'ha'dum, Planet Alderaan
"What is thy bidding, my master?"
The foreboding figure knelt at the base of the holoprojector. Up until this very planet, he had worn the robes of a apprentice - powerfully built but without the sinister ornamentation of a true Sith Warrior. Now, dressed in a terrible armor of dark gray and black, with a dark purple helmet covering the trademark cranial horns and facial tattoos of the Zabrak people, that figure awaited the word of his master - the Sith Lord Darth Baras.
"We may have a...complication." Baras remarked without preamble. "A Republican transport is heading for Alderaan to settle a internal dispute for House Organa. The transport is carrying a Jedi Knight."
"And this troubles us how?" The Juggernaut known as Daedran asked. Baras seethed internally. Ever since allowing his apprentice a true mantle of the Sith, he had become bolder, questioning his directives more. Still, the question had merit.
"As it so happens, the internal dispute is the result of the machinations of one of my agents." Baras said. "Should the Jedi stumble upon this agent..."
"Do you want this person eliminated?"
"That shouldn't be necessary." Baras replied. "Granted, it's not off the table completely, but I'd rather not have to try to infiltrate the Organas again if we can avoid it. No, I was thinking more about drawing the Jedi out into a confrontation and killing him."
Daedran smiled under his helmet. "I like it. Simple and easy to remember."
"Not so simple as it may appear." Baras warned. "This Jedi is also traveling in the company of a Republican Trooper."
"He is not a Force user. He is of no consequence."
"Do not underestimate the Republican Armed Forces, my Apprentice." Baras cautioned. "Thus far, you have only contended with the Republic's security forces. Their standing army is used to fighting Sith. Do not underestimate him."
"I won't, Master." Daedran replied, lowering his head. "If you wish this Jedi and his companion dead, then I shall deliver you both their heads."
"See that you do not fail me in this, apprentice." Baras remarked, then vanished.
"Well," A figure remarked, stepping out of the shadows of the room. A scarred visage twisted in a parody of a smile, while pure black lenses covered the eyes, lined with glowing red rings. "That was Darth Baras? Not quite as impressive as say Darth Jaedus, but then again who is?"
"Watch your tongue if you desire to keep it." Daedran cautioned as he stood. "My master has ears and eyes everywhere."
"But of course, my Lord." The Imperial smiled and bowed dramatically. "I am, after all, but a humble servant."
Daedran snorted. Since arriving on this planet, the Juggernaut had co-opted the services of one of Imperial Intelligence's chief operatives in the region, a man known only as Javron. He had a very informal method of address to his betters, but Daedran didn't mind. Sometimes, it was good not to be feared.
It will make it all the sweeter when I do make him fear me. Daedran thought.
"Well then, 'Humble Servant'." Daedran said aloud. "I believe it's time we be off."
"Where to, my lord?" Javron inquired as the Sith stalked past him.
"Where else? Let's go inspect the Organaians defenses before our Jedi friend arrives."
TO BE CONTINUED IN WAYS OF THE FORCE - PASSIONS
