[M] Star Wars: The Bureaucrats [Hannelorian & Kach]

[Hannelorian]

Marienna barely had time to process what Corwin had said when the overwhelming spike of pain hit her. She might have been alarmed to know how easy it had been to render her unconscious in an unguarded state. It didn't matter now, the damage was already done and it wasn't unfathomable that a part of her knew this might well be the end of her life. So close to death so many times, and when it finally came to her it would be because she was so weak and had feelings for a man for the first time in the entirety of her life. How was that for irony? Or if not irony, than something else that seemed to be a fitting end.

She stirred slowly in the bed she was laying on, groaning ever so softly as she returned to consciousness, the distinct pain that she felt tracked with what little she remembered of the injury. But. Marienna remembered enough. Her hands, now ungloved raised to her head, fingers running through her hair along her scalp to the side of her head where she felt the raised patch. It wasn't as painful as it could have been, a silver lining she supposed.

When her eyes opened she expected to see Agent Cross, but she was not there, not yet. She expected to be restrained but she hadn't been. She understood in that moment what Corwin had done and why he did it. He wanted to give her a fighting chance, a story to tell, something that might allow those in the investigative branches a reason to let her live. But this was now her second strike, even if she had little do with the Gurlanin who impersonated her, the creature had indeed chosen her and that was suspicious enough.

"Hi." Marienna said softly, trying her best not to garner the immediate attention of the medical officer. Corwin looked worried, he was scared. She couldn't blame him, but she did feel guilty for putting him in this situation to begin with. Perhaps she should have told a version of the truth that would not implicate him, take her punishment and allow him to move on with his life. "I doubt we have long." She also knew that someone was likely listening.

[Kach]

Corwin, started from his own thoughts by the welcome, quickly looked back to see the medical officer still working away at their terminal. He stood carefully and came to kneel at the side of Marianna's bed.
He gave a nod, only meeting Marienna's eyes for a moment before casting them down guiltily.
"How are you feeling?" He asked softly. "I am glad you are still here with me. No telling what could have happened..." he trailed off.

"Agent Cross will be here to interview you soon. They are trying to track the intruders, but it seems they just made it off the base before the lockdown was secure. I already told them how I found you unconscious and stuffed under your desk..."
Corwin's brow was tight and face was grim, but an anger burned in his eyes.

[Hannelorian]

The bright lights above buzzed faintly, enough to be irritating. Their glow was painful, she must have been more injured than she first thought. The scent in the air was antiseptic, it flooded her mind with memories of the last time she was in such a state, after the mission on Kashyyyk. Regardless of her overlords, she would always refer to that planet by its given name, rather than some meaningless designation to rob the Wookie's of their independence, their freedom and identity.

It was probably for the best that Marienna was confined to this bed, her anger and confusion swelled and swirled within her like an endless maelstrom. She had so many questions, but mostly for herself. When did she become so weak? Since when did the wellbeing of a man like Corwin prevent her from doing her duty? She should have taken the shot at the intruders, and if she died in the process, so be it. But now she had grown soft.

Her porcelain skin was damaged, the bruises showing through and aching all the while. It wasn't until Corwin had approached and finally spoke that she had a long awaited distraction from the pain. "I'm fine, I promise." Marienna attempted to force a smile, to be reassuring, even now she could see his feelings spread across his face. It was endearing. And then he began to feed her the story, and immediately she processed and understood what he was doing. She needed to match it, or at least up until the point where she would have been incapacitated prior to his arrival.

"I'm glad to be here... I'm sure Cross will have plenty of questions..." The thought of being stuck with that woman again was enough to make her feel ill. Cross definitely already had it out for Marienna, and this would likely be her last stand or so it felt like anyway.

[Kach]

Agent Cross? Corwin had a million questions, but none he could ask; not yet anyway. He glanced up at Marienna's face, the left eye surrounded by a stain of black and purple. It was shocking to see against her stark complexion. He looked back down at the edge of the bed. He still wasn't sure if he had done the right thing, but for now he had some time to think. If only Terisa where here, talking things over with her always helped.

"Ah, good you're awake." The medical officer greeted from half way across the room. The had apparently begun to make their way over. "Just have a rest Lieutenant Berens. You have been through a lot." The medical officer scrutinized Corwin, likely thinking he was trying to begin his own questioning. "I will notify Agent Cross."
The medical officer turned, heading back to their terminal.

Corwin stood and dragged his chair a bit closer, leaving more than arms reach between the pair. He sat rigidly, seeming to prepare for the encounter.
"As your commanding officer you have the right to have me with you when you are interviewed by an ISB agent." He reminded softly. "A fact they often conveniently forget. I will stay with you, if you wish." Corwin no longer made eye contact, instead looking to the doorway at the far end of the room. The faint clicking of his heal against the floor rhythmically tapped.
What was the Gurlanin's next move? Did it matter? He could be in a cell in less than an hour...
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, seeming to calm. First, Agent Cross, everything else would be next.

[Hannelorian]

"You needn't ruin your career for me." Marienna mentioned, now propping herself up in the bed on her elbows. A long sigh escaped her lips. The medical officer had told her what she already knew, that her time was limited. Agent Cross would surely have the drive to see her in a cell, permanently, or perhaps executed all together. Wouldn't that be convenient for the Empire? One less loose end to worry about.

"Protect yourself Corwin." It was painful for Marienna to encourage him to throw her under the bus, but in reality she would understand. So many had betrayed her before, they would take her sacrifice and use it for their own gain. It wasn't unheard of, and for someone like her who normally didn't need the glory, it hadn't really bothered her. "You need to stop them." Marienna wasn't even sure if she believed in this anymore, was that truly for the best? Perhaps they should just let the Gurlanin's do what they pleased, allow them to strike and be done with it.

"But if you insist... I respect your decision." Marienna did not, in fact want him to leave. She did not want to face this alone, but again she would understand if that was what the concluded upon. She wanted him to be by her side, she had developed feelings for him that she had not for anyone else in her living memory. That in and of itself would have been too painful to reckon with, but she supposed she could first deal with the matter of her life being on the line.

[Kach]

Now, that was a novel idea to Corwin. Abandon Marianna to her fate and distance himself.
It made sense he supposed; from the standpoint of self preservation, but the idea had not crossed his mind.
Despite the fact that they were the same rank, and she had seniority, he had been put in charge. It did not puzzle him now as much as it did before meeting her, but he respected her; and perhaps, cared for her more than was appropriate given his position as lead.
It was his duty to take care of her as his subordinate...
He would not leave anyone to tangle with the ISB out of his own personal principle...
Corwin could not uncouple himself from this fascinating, puzzling, and passionate woman now even if he had wanted to.
It bothered him a bit. The feeling of attachment that pulled at him and strangled his heart. He hadn't noticed it happening and now it felt too late to sever the tenuis link that connected them.

"I appreciate your opinion." Was all Corwin replied as he cast a scrutinizing gaze over the medical bay, surveying the battlefield before him. He was no tactician, but a good officer also had to know what's reasourses were available and how to allocate them. The officers if the Logistics Branch of the ISB were selected especially for that ability.
"But we are locked out of our office until the investigation is concluded there. I have no where else to be." The faintest hint of a smirk returned to Corwins face.

There was more he wanted to say, but he shoved the jumble of words to the back of his mind and tried to focus.
He was not sure what Marienna would say. He wasn't sure what he would say... Luckily the majority of the questions would miss him. He just had to run some interference.


Precisely fifteen minutes later, just long enough to finish what they were doing and make their way over, Agent Cross and two troopers entered the medical bay. Shadows under Agent Cross' eyes and hairs that had pulled themselves out of the tight regulation bun she wore; hinted at the sleepless nights she had been having the last few days.
The troopers remained at the exit to the medbay as the Agent marched across the nearly empty vacant room, paying no mind to the medical officer that looked up from their desk.
"Thank you for keeping an eye Lieutenant Fischer, you can go now." Cross produced a data pad, stopping at the foot of the bed. They didn't look up from the security video they were watching until Corwin spoke.

"I am fine here, thanks." The warmth was absent from his voice as he lounged in the simple chair.

Agent Cross let out a sigh, "Very well." She looked up from her datapad to regard Marienna. "Can you tell me what happened Lieutenant Beren?" Her tone was surprisingly neutral, as if she was asking about the weather or some other mundane phenomenon rather than the second security breach in a week.

[Hannelorian]

Lieutenant Beren had not been expecting such a cool response from Agent Cross, and at the end of the day she was eternally grateful that Corwin had opted to stay by her side. Marienna expected to immediately be treated as a hostile actor and summarily interrogated. Perhaps this rather unremarkable opening was something to be more fearful of, rather than less. Marienna nodded and offered a weak salute, pushing herself up in the bed, pressing her hands into the fabric and slowly inching upward.

"The doorbell to my quarters rang, shortly before the start of my shift." Marienna began to relay the events, exactly... ish as she had remembered them. "At the door was Lieutenant Fischer, or rather who I assumed to be the Lieutenant." That was the first thing she would be dinged for, Marienna had made an assumption, and on what grounds? She had none to offer. That was a mistake she could not take back. Oh well.

"Behind him was a uniformed trooper. The Lt. requested my immediate presence in our office, citing new data that been unveiled as part of our... problem." Marienna was to the point more or less entirely truthful. "Knowing I've had enough demerits and write ups in my record, I chose not to disobey my superior officer, and followed him to the lab. I did note that he was unusually quiet, perhaps even a little stoic or short with me." She knew immediately when she saw him that it wasn't Corwin. She would know him from a mile away, but that detail was one she should have left out.

"It was at that point I suspected something may have been wrong. I entered the office and moved to my work station, at which point Corwin and the trooper pointed their weapons at me and demanded my chain codes. Obviously the charade was over." Marienna scratched her head, wincing in pain as she crossed the bump she had sustained.

"I inquired where the real Lt. Fischer was, and they informed me that he would be punished, or killed if I did not cooperate. The Gurlanin then revealed itself in it's true form. It was... an odd turn of events, I give you that." This was around the time Marienna was going to start lying entirely, if she had not already done so. "I produced false chain codes, while sitting at my desk, hand resting on my blaster pistol. But they must have seen what happened. The next thing I know, the trooper had advanced on me, still in disguise and knocked me unconscious. The next thing I know, I woke up here. That's all I remember agent."

[Kach]

Agent Cross watched impassive, staring over their Data pad, eyes half open. She didn't stop or interupt the recounting, but watched dully, shoulders drooped. There was silence for a few moments after Marienna finished. Agent Cross shook her head, seeming to wake from her stupor, "sorry, I haven't slept since yesterday, do you mind if I take a seat?"

Corwin raised an eyebrow, glancing to Marienna, was she seeing this as well?
"Um, here..." Corwin pushed a chair next to him toward agent Cross.

"Thank you." Agent Cross pulled the chair over and sat beside the foot of the bed, taking a moment to get comfortable and leaning back in the seat.
"Apologies Lieutenant Berens, I know you have been through a lot, but could you run through that one more time? It's important I don't miss any details for my report."

Corwin couldn't help but wonder if agent Cross was really the person to be leading this investigation. Not only did she seem over worked, her behaviour was near incompetentce. He looked to Marienna, optimistic that this whole mess might blow over.

[Hannelorian]

Marienna was familiar with interrogation. There were all sorts of tactics that investigators used to ascertain the truth, or pin a lie on a suspect. Was this some sort of test? Or was this genuine? Even for Marienna, seasoned as she was, it was now difficult to tell. Part of that, perhaps, was due to her blow to the head. Another part was due most certainly to her own exhaustion and fatigue. These days had been long, grueling, traumatic beyond compare. Now all that was left was her and the Agent before her. Cross was a master at playing games but so was Lieutenant Beren.

In fact, Marienna made no acknowledgment, and expressed no reaction to Cross' seemingly inane and possibly irrelevant comments about sleep. The seeming disinterest, and sudden cool that was expressed. It seemed to be a best bet for a just in case kind of situation. "You need not apologize for executing the functions of your job." Was all Marienna could and would say in regards to that.

"As you requested." Marienna sighed and took a moment before beginning her tale again. "Just before the start of shit, Lt. Corwin, or what appeared to be Lt. Fischer and a uniformed trooper arrived at the door to my quarters. It was unusual, yes. It was requested that I accompany Lt. Fischer to our office, something I found strange. There was a new development. I lead the way, and entered the office.

"All along I had suspected something was amiss. It did not seem like Lt. Fischer. When we got to the office, he and the uniformed trooper raised weapons at me and demanded the chain codes." Marienna was repeating what she knew, and could only hope she was consistent. After all, her head did hurt. "I then inquired what happened to the real Lt. Fischer, at which point the Gurlanin revealed themselves. I was told to provide the chain codes or Lt. Fischer would be killed." Marienna rubbed at her head, a dull throbbing taking over her focus for naught but a moment. "I produced false chains and went to my desk, attempting to grab my blaster. I was then overwhelmed, and presumably struck upside the head, rendered me unconscious."

[Kach]

Agent Cross leaned against the back of her chair. Her casual demeanor belied the intensity of her scrutinization. Hungrily taking in every word of the account, she closed her eyes in the concentration.
She had watched the Lieutenant's body language the first time and hadn't gotten many clues; but Marienna had reached up to her head both times while talking about what happened in the office.

Agent Cross' eyes opened as she impassively looked to Marienna. Now it was time to pressure test the woman.
"Alright, one question for you Lieutenant Berens. When did you move to your work station? The first time you said you went to your station and then they pulled blasters, you were sitting when you gave them the chain codes. Just now you said that you didn't go to your workstation until after you had given them your false codes. Which is it?"

Agent Cross' eyes narrowed, a predator eyeing their prey.

"Surely that can't be that important Agent Cross. Lieutenant Beren was struck in the head. A scrambled memory is to be expected." Corwin interjected into the silence between the two feeling quite uneasy.

"On the contrary Lieutenant Fischer," She corrected, not braking her eyes off or Marienna, "it can make all the difference in the world. I just want to know the truth."