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

  1. #21
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    Kuna Syko was generally speaking, not the most pleasant man. He was quick to anger and had a failed relationship with patience. As the Imperial placed his hand upon his shoulder he physically cringed. It took every ounce of strength remaining within him not to punch the man in the face for this apparent transgression. He would not be bothered to consider that this was an equally unpleasant interaction for the Imperial. He genuinely assumed that they all derived an incredible sense of pleasure from these meetings, all of their pretty questions.

    As the meeting came to its conclusion Syko grumbled underneath his breath, he thought better of the situation than to make matters worse by clearly forming the rude words he longed to. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Lt. Beren stepping off of the barq scale, he knew she was up to something though at the moment he had no idea exactly what she had been doing. He would have to inspect the scale once the two had departed.

    Marienna all the while caught sight of Corwin as he cast a particular look in her direction. She understood immediately what the look meant. This was the summoning look. Ah yes, follow him, time to go. Without even a nod Marienna walked slowly behind him, hands still intertwined behind her back, just as she was nearly out of range, she turned back quickly on her heel turning to face Syko.

    "Mr. Syko, there was just one more thing, if you wouldn't mind." Marienna asked in a rather flat tone, her head cocked to the side ever so slightly, almost like that of a curious pet. The man turned back toward her. "I don't suppose I have a choice in the matter." Syko grumbled, but clearly his gaze upon the woman, he wondered what sort of things she did for enjoyment. What had happened in her life that she appeared as though she was simply a vessel, a hollow body waiting for a soul. "Would you mind sending your maintenance logs to our office? Tomorrow morning would be ideal." She was quite specific in the timing on purpose, and there she stood in silent resilience or perhaps defiance as she waited for his reply. "Yeah, yeah...first thing. Just don't send that ass to come get it." Kuna spoke and walked away, leaving Marienna to resume her departure, catching up with Corwin.

    As the two walked, almost in lock-step with one another, Marienna couldn't help but keep her gaze fixed on Corwin, trying to read any expression he would give her. She had a deep and abiding sense that Corwin, on some fundamental had a degree of hatred for men like Syko. Of course, this was understandable, he wasn't the most likable man in the galaxy, but at least she understood him. She suspected there was something deeper within him, some event or some such that shaped his view of the world around him.

    "Oh, you wanted me to compile reports?" Marienna attempted a joke, something she rarely did. If you were to poll members of the Bureau who had worked with her how often she did things like this, the result would be in the single digits. "Well, I do think this makes this whole situation rather awkward now doesn't it?" Marienna followed through, she was attempted to back a sense of levity after the severity and pressure of the situation they had just been in. For a moment, she even smiled.

    "Yes, Lieutenant. I filed my report on my findings after my first visit out. I would love to get back in there and conduct a proper detailed review of the current state. Though I do believe you will find them sufficient for preliminary review." Returning to her usual self, her tone dropped and was largely matter of fact with a healthy degree of honesty about the quality of the review she was able to complete. "He's not my friend. But I do understand him." She felt it perhaps unwise to say much further, but felt it appropriate to respond to his comment.

    Looking out over the horizon, there was a slight breeze. Marienna found this to be wonderfully pleasant. The morning sun had only grown stronger as it continued to climb through the skies. "The scale runs heavy. Quite heavy. I looked at the reading before I stepped on it, and then while on it. They definitely took notice to my action, though it remains unclear as to whether or not they understood the detail. But, I do have a plan." Marienna was always resourceful, she tried to be as creative as her mind would allow in these kinds of situations. "I've asked for their maintenance log to be sent us... tomorrow morning. I'd be willing to bet we'll find some unscheduled maintenance of the scales as of late. Maybe even as late as today." Marienna nodded in a self affirming way, the alternative was that he wouldn't report it, which would be just as damning as actually fixing it.
    Thanks to Hayabusa/Ryoku for the set.

  2. #22
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    Corwin was caught off guard by the remark and the deadpan tone of Marienna. He turned to look at her, his smile had been replaced for a moment by a look of genuine puzzlement. When she continued and cracked a smile he caught the joke. He had clearly not expected such levity from his comrade. Lt. Beren really was shattering his expectations hourly.
    A broad grin split his face and he let out a hearty laugh, his mood had seemed to been dampened little by his meeting with Kuna Syko. Corwin couldn't help but be struck but the woman's smile; it didn't seem out of place on her stern cool face, but almost made him think she had become someone else for a moment.
    "I will have to use caution around you Lieutenant Beren." He remarked turning his head forward as his laughter trailed off before she continued.

    Lt Fischer nodded. He had expect her to have done some sort of report, he noticed it in his scanning of documents and marked it for future reading. There was no point in a further inspection of the terminal while Mr Syko could do his best to keep them from seeing everything they needed. Not yet.

    He kept his eyes forward, expression unchanging, but he made careful note of her comment letting it pass. It was important to understand people so you knew if they were working for you or against you. Who you could convince and who to make an example of, but it was a slippery slope. As logistics officers they weren't being fired at on the front lines, but insurgents needed supplies. A missing crate full of food, or medical supplies could be as deadly as a blaster to troopers in the field.
    Marienna Beren's file had mentioned she had been reprimanded for opposing or not following orders before. Never anything serious or direct enough to warrant a court's martial, but he couldn't help but wonder if the woman who wore a shell of ice was a bit too soft for her own good. He file had said as much, but Corwin was not ready to pass any judgements. Perhaps when they dealt with Kuna Syko he might get a better idea of where the woman stood.

    He snapped back to focus when she mentioned the scale, an interesting development.
    "If he thinks we are on to him, he will scramble to hide any evidence, and he will play right into our hands. Working from your theory last night, I acquired a transponder. I slipped it onto his clothing before we departed. Now we wait and see who he visits. I would be surprised if he doesn't visit his contact for smuggling Barq and tell them they need to lay low until things cool down. He won't dare call anyone, someone like him would be too paranoid we would be monitoring his comms. He would be right, but he doesn't need to know that."

    Corwin seemed amused, as if describing a game he enjoyed in his spare time as they arrived back at the speeder. He leaned against the side before throwing himself into the pilot seat.

    "Then we send the troopers in to scoop up any ne'er-do-wells in his network, the magistrate will deal with that mess and we can get to work getting this mess running like an Imperial terminal."
    He left out the boring days of surveillance they would have to do in between, but leaving out some of the monotony wouldn't hurt.
    He smirked across the speeder at Marienna. "Maybe we won't be here that long after all?"
    The final battle,
    Pain, suffering; overcome,
    by the united.


  3. #23
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    There it was, a wide grin had returned to his face and hearty laughter soon followed. Marienna preferred this side of Corwin Fischer, the happy, jovial and handsome man. Knowing she had succeeded in her mission, at least temporarily, Marienna let her own smile fade away as though it had never existed in the first place.

    "I will have to use caution around you Lieutenant Beren."
    he remarked.

    "Yes sir. I suppose you will." she replied cooly, turning her attention toward the speeder they were approaching. Marienna took note that he had not responded to her comment on understanding the people here. She had no doubt he heard it, and processed it and chose to let it pass. She wondered to what end. Was it that he truly cared so little for the people of this world that he thought best not to remark? Was it simply that he disagreed and would rather not start a conflict amongst them? Or was there an element of doubt, about her character, her loyalty to the Empire. Perhaps she had gotten too comfortable, and was careless with her candor.

    Lt. Fischer took quite seriously to the act of theft. More seriously than she would have expected. Marienna found herself truly wondering what his sentiments were. Could he really be so loyal to the Empire? So loyal that he could not be brought to acknowledge the truth of the plight of the people of these worlds, the back water worlds that serve as nothing more than planet wide farms for imperial harvest? Perhaps it best she withdraw, and watch her speech more carefully. There were only so many demerits her file could take before she was looking at serious trouble. A little extra caution wouldn't hurt anyone, she thought.

    As Corwin explained he had planted a transponder on Syko, Marienna nodded in affirmation of the plan. It was the clever thing to do. "Excellent work sir." She replied, as she hopped up and into the passenger side seat of the speeder, a gloved hand slowly rising to removed the uniformed cap from her head she placed it neatly, carefully in her hand secured to her being with her own hand resting gently on top of it. "I agree, he will likely move quickly now. Scurrying through the shadows to tip off his brothers in profiteering." Her comment was sincere and a direct observation, she did in fact agree that he would have to take some kind of action. "Say, let's grab something to eat on the way back. I am starving, and watching a man move around on a map takes a full stomach?" Marienna was in fact, not particularly hungry despite her direct yet earnest tone. Her mind wandered just then, away from Corwin and toward facts and figures, the mental calculator that was her brain crunching the numbers on how much would be needed to get those docks back up to order.

    "I don't know... this place is growing on me, like they all do eventually. I wouldn't mind being stuck for a little while longer. Would you so quickly rid yourself of my company?" Marienna responded to his final comment, her tone was flat as ever, though she meant that last bit as something of a joke.

    One Kuna Syko allowed the remainder of the day to pass without incident. He did his work as he always did, half assed. The presence of the two logisticians weighed heavy on his mind. They were an interesting pair, he was arrogant, bantha-headed. She was cool, almost like a living doll. Together they represented a grave threat, if they were to do too much digging they would start to find that isn't wasn't just barq that was in play, but something far greater, far more sinister. As the daylight hours faded, Kuna Syko made his way toward the residential district, the same small clay huts, the mud was finally firming up after yesterday's rain making the roads significantly easier to traverse.

    Coming to one such hut, he reached his hand up toward the panel outside, but before he could press a single button the electronic lock released and the heavy metallic door slid open. "Why are you here?" a man's voice called, his words were uneasy, he seemed surprised the Syko would stand before him, would come to his home. Syko, ever the gentleman, pushed the man aside and stepped into the home, making sure the door sealed firmly behind him. He quickly made his way around the room gazing out of the windows, making sure no one had followed him here. "We have a problem." Syko stated.

    "The bean counters?" The man pre-empted the rest of Syko's response. Syko could only nod his head in response. "You really haven't figured out how to cover that up yet?" The unknown man asked. "No, it's not the barq, that we can blame on faulty equipment, supply line disruptions, you name... it's the other stuff... you know the uh... weapons." Kuna whispered that last part beneath his breath and the man he spoke to seemed enraged. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that... Lay low, let me worry about the rest..." he said and sighed, rather sadly.
    Thanks to Hayabusa/Ryoku for the set.

  4. #24
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    "Say, let's grab something to eat on the way back. I am starving, and watching a man move around on a map takes a full stomach?"

    The angle of the rising morning sun painted long harsh lines of shadow across Marienna's face, it reminded Corwin of a sunrise back on Coruscant. Her nose, chin and cheekbone buildings against a porcelain skyline.
    He let out a chuckle as he powered up the speeder.
    "Don't think your compliments are going to get you a free meal. You are going to have to give me directions. Believe it or not, I am not a local."
    He glanced over his shoulder and pulled the speeder gracefully away from the terminal, lazily drifting down the dirt road. Luckily the mud had not yet dried enough to kick up any dust.

    "I don't know... this place is growing on me, like they all do eventually. I wouldn't mind being stuck for a little while longer. Would you so quickly rid yourself of my company?" Marienna responded

    He nodded thoughtfully in reply, it was a nice enough place, he was even getting used to the smell. Marienna seemed a capable enough partner, though it bothered Corwin that he still struggled to work out what made her tick, but that would likely come with time.
    "I will hold my judgement until I look over a menu." He smirked as he shot a glance across the speeder, though he was a bit worried about what passed for edible on this planet.


    The small amber transponder dot left the blue box on the holo overlay of the town on the holo screen they had requisitioned from the engineers. Corwin noted the time, it had only been a few minutes. Kuna Syko was on the move again.
    "Well that's not his home, and he hasn't stayed long enough for it to be a lady friend. What do you make of it? He remarked across the table to Marienna sitting comfortably in his chair, boots by the door despite their lack of a mud coating.
    The pair had returned to their office after an interesting lunch and a thorough tour of the town. He hadn't seen any Nerf on the planet yet, and he figured it was unlikely the down trodden locals had the credits to import the meat, but he had no interest in investigating further.
    The ride back to the compound was quick, but Corwin took it easy, not wanting to test either of their stomachs.
    The final battle,
    Pain, suffering; overcome,
    by the united.


  5. #25
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    What had passed for a restaurant on this planet, likely would fail the tests on most of the Core worlds. Little more than a simple clay hut, with few options and largely a take-away approach. It was for these reasons that Marienna prided herself on her constitution, there wasn't much she couldn't stomach. When the Empire dropped you wherever they needed you, there was little time to find qualms with the sustenance available, that is unless one preferred military rations, in which case the Empire was glad to provide.

    Marienna found herself cracking a small smile when Corwin removed his boots when he entered their office. He didn't need to as it was no longer raining, he assumed perhaps this was a general request. Letting the quick upturn of the corners of her mouth fade, she followed in suit, removing her boots, lest she make him uncomfortable in any way. She sat in designated space, her legs crossed at the ankles, hands folded neatly in her lap. She sat up straight in her chair, as rigid as most would have expected of her. When the transponder began to move, she watched it.

    "Who said it had to be a lady friend?" Marienna asked somewhat matter of factly, but understanding the gist of his comment. It was a rather short visit indeed. "I think you were right, he knew enough not to call, but that wouldn't stop him from walking. Tipping off a friend, the question is... who?" Marienna had indeed thought this was the most likely thing to happen. This sort of thing happened time and time again with thieves. They weren't always the smartest of the bunch, but always had the false confidence to believe they were.

    Lt. Beren rose from her seat, making the short distance from her position to Corwin's, she ran her fingertips slowly along a set of datapads, looking for the exact one she needed. Her eyes darting between the holomap of the town, and the datapads, she finally extracted the right one. "C-South, unit...28" Marienna spoke softly, largely to her self noting the section of the village and the approximate designated of the building Kuna Syko had entered. "According to our records... no one lives there. At least no one is supposed to live there. The initial surveyors marked the property as unfit for habitation." Understandably Marienna found this quite odd.

    The Lieutenant looked again, staring at the holomap, before turning her attention back to Corwin, she placed the datapad she had referenced in his hands to cross reference and verify her findings, her fingers just lightly grazing against his. "I can send a few troopers to pass by, check it out. Patrols in that area are pretty standard."
    Last edited by Hannelorian; 08-20-2021 at 01:26 AM. Reason: I wanted to nix the underground mention. I'm indecisive today.
    Thanks to Hayabusa/Ryoku for the set.

  6. #26
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    "The way he looked at you." Corwin replied in an informative tone. "He definitely seemed to favor you during our visit, that or I am not his type." A wry grin crossed his lips, but he didn't look over.

    He wasn't sure who Kuna could be meeting with, but he was sure it was a clue. A contact, safehouse, or dead drop maybe? The man could be foolish enough to lead them to whatever hidey-hole he squirled away his contraband so easily, could he? He mulled it over silently, his brow furrowing as he considered the map and Marienna's findings.

    "Curious..." He muttered to himself.

    Lt Fischer rested his chin in his left hand, thumbing at the fiery hair of his well kempt beard, leaned forward to stare at the map. His right hand drumming his fingers silently against the table top. He reached out when he saw Marienna offer the data pad in his peripheral vision.
    Her fingers brushing his sent a jolt through his body and seemed to snap him out of his thought as he turned his head abruptly to look at her. He held the datapad tightly, unaware of his iron grip on it as he calmed his interior, the only outward sign of the racing of his heart.

    Mariena Beren was a striking woman despite the drab uniform that shielded her features below her stern chin, but it wasn't the only reason for his start. Corwin had never been a touchy-feely type; close contact always surprised him when he didn't expect it. He preferred to keep people at arms reach to help him maintain the clinical logic he needed for his work, things were more tidy that way.

    "Thanks." He replied, a bit less warmly than he normally would have, as he turned from he to look at the data pad.
    "It would be best to give it a few days to let them drop their guard some, who knows where our new friend might lead us." Corwin was eager to close the net on these scoundrels, but he knew they need to get them all, or any remnants would just set up shop elsewhere.

    "You said you were from the Naboo, what is it like there?" He asked casually, still looking over the data pad. Her file had said as much, but since she had mentioned it he expressed his interest. He had heard stories of the planet, and wondered. Were all planets mud balls like Qiilura?"
    The final battle,
    Pain, suffering; overcome,
    by the united.


  7. #27
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    What a pesky thing, sentience could be. Not only were humans aware of their world, they were doomed to be active participants. Thinking, feeling, the good and the bad, the sheer indifference in other situations. The need to be with others, to socialize, to find a place within one's society. Swiftly as the Empire came, it assisted with many of those trivialities. Assigning ranks and roles, doling out jobs. It was as though life had been delightfully pre-fabricated and people were slotted in as filler. A cog that could think for itself, but not too much beyond what had been prescribed as healthy.

    Marienna had in her own time accepted that she needed less from others, than her colleagues did. She had no great longing for company, the smallest need for physical contact. Though she could not deny the joy in the sparing moments when she allowed herself to experience it. The art of simple conversation or the slightest brush of flesh against warm flesh. It was when this occurred unintentionally, she noticed that he clamped down on the data pad. Perhaps she had surprised him, though she mentioned it not, nor did she allow her gaze to linger, instead having simply resumed her seat, noting a slight change in his tone when he thanked her, though she thought little of it. It was the socially expected response to be handed an item.

    The warm rays of the midday sun shone through the windows to the small office. Without realizing it, Marienna had raised a delicate pale hand, holding it out before her. Pupils following along intently as she moved her fingers, as though the light were dancing across her skin. Fischer had noted that he was not likely not Syko's type and with that, well, she had no choice but to agree. The two men standing at opposite ends of the spectrum, but also two men with a great deal more in common than either had likely realized. "I suppose it's a good thing for you that I'm everybody's type." Marienna quipped, turning her attention back to Corwin.

    There was no statement spoken that could have been further from the truth, hence the artful nature of her jest. It had been her experience that people found her to be an acquired taste, and even further, a taste that precious few ever would acquire. Though Marienna would never stop for a moment to wonder if she was the problem, and perhaps realize that she might need to change to be more amenable to those around her. No, Marienna lived her life as she deemed appropriate, others be damned to the ice fields of Hoth.

    Lt. Beren nodded in thorough agreement regarding giving Syko and company a few days. It was a reasonable course of action. It was then, he took the surprising turn of asking her a slightly more personal question. Marienna understood she never had to mention she hailed from Naboo, he read it, he knew it from her file. Nevertheless she appreciated that he found a way to bring it up without having to reference his own reading.

    "It all depends on what you mean by from I suppose." Marienna sighed, ever so slightly as she made her statement, realizing it to be somewhat cryptic, though in honesty that was far from her intent. "Not originally, but yes, Naboo is home, for many years now." The notion of home was something she found amusing, though perhaps she would not express it so. Home, at present, was wherever in the galaxy she Empire stationed her. Home, the planet of her birth, gone, nothing more than dust and rocks floating through space. Alderaan, she could hardly remember it now, all of her memories felt like the fleeting moments that they were in hindsight. Home, the places where the remains of her family are? Where she completed her education, reached the end of her formative years? Then yes, Naboo fit the criteria and was home.

    "I'm surprised you haven't been. Though admittedly I feel like you'd rather visit the grand podrace courses on Malastare for your vacations." Marienna mused, almost absently, only to mean that perhaps he was the kind of man who visited thrilling, exciting worlds in his own time, not sleepy little worlds like her own. "It is... beautiful. Crisp, clear blue skies, uninterrupted by tall buildings. Our cities are more wide, than tall." For the first time, a genuine smile crossed and remained Marienna's face. If she closed her eyes, she could see the house she grew up in. She could smell the fresh air and the morning dew.

    "Theed, it rests on the edges of the great grass greens... nothing but fields or rolling gross... if you look back on the capital it's almost as if it floats. With mighty water falls seemingly surrounding the palace. The air is so clean, and pure you smell nothing but the nature around you. Marienna turned her attention back toward Corwin, having shaken herself out of her own trance. "Theed, and really all of the great cities are tiny compared to Coruscant, nothing but drops in a bucket... but to me... they are grand. Vast lakes, it really has it all... She slowly let the sustained smile fade.

    It was also not lost on her, that her adopted home planet, was the home planet of the very man who took her entire world from her. "The Naboo and the Gungans are strong people. I think you'd like it there." She watched Corwin, awaiting his responses, she wondered a great many things about him. Once again without realizing she felt her hand on her blaster, the piece of home, as it were, that she carried with her everywhere. "Where's your favorite place to be, Lt. Fischer?" she asked in kind.
    Thanks to Hayabusa/Ryoku for the set.

  8. #28
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    Corwin snorted in amusement at the remark, a broad grin once again spreading across his lips. He had no doubt if Marienna had the inclination, she could make a fool out of most. He was glad they had been getting on thus far, she would be a formidable adversary.

    Corwin looked up from the electrical consumption reports from the address in question when she began to speak of her life. He seemed to be genuinely be interested as he rested the data pad in his lap and leaned back in his chair.

    "I'm surprised you haven't been. Though admittedly I feel like you'd rather visit the grand podrace courses on Malastare for your vacations."

    Corwin nodded thoughtfully at the observation. "I am not at all well travelled." He looked to the window with a demure smile. In fact he had only been off Coruscant twice including his current assignment. Looking back as she began to describe Naboo he struggled to imagine anything that was not a mash-up of Coruscant and Qiilura.

    Then that smile crossed her thin lips again, bringing warmth to her face; a first green bud of spring amongst the snowy ground. He couldn't help but feel a bit satisfied that he was able to draw it out. It changed her face, like turning on a light in a dark room, previously dull grey eyes glistening like polished metal in mid day sun.

    He had straightened in his chair, enraptured by her and her story. He had never heard of such a place before, it sounded as different from Qillura as Coruscant had been to it. He pondered what other wonders the galaxy held.
    "I think I would too." he replied dreamily, digesting everything she had said.

    The question caught him off-guard as he eyed her once more and noticed her hand resting on her blaster. He was surprised to feel a pang of jealousy. Morienna seemed to have such a connection to her home, a love for it. He struggled for a moment as he tried to feel anything for his home on Coruscant, but nothing came.
    The city was sterile, it inspired awe and held wonders but at the cost of it's soul.
    Towers piercing the sky, the cultural hub of the Galaxy, an ancient city, but he could have given it all up for the beautiful green Naboo. He was displeased he did not have an answer matching her passion; not yet anyway.
    "Well. The smell is awful, the food leaves something to be desired, and the locals aren't very friendly, but otherwise Qiilura isn't a bad little mud ball." He could not help but smirk at the thought.

    Corwin opened his mouth to ask another question when he was cut off by a chirp from his commlink. He looked at it with a frown for a moment before he answered it.
    "A moment please."
    He requested courteously to the device before turning his attention back to Marieena as he got to his feet. "If you will excuse me, I guess time has gotten away from me, I need to take this." He offered a cordial smile and nod.

    Corwin made his way to their office door and slide into his boots. The door hissed open and he addressed the commlink as he passed through. "Fischer here." The rest of the conversation was cut off as the door hissed closed behind him.


    The next morning had broken a few hours past and the compound was a hum of activity before Corwin made his way back to their office, again taking off his boots at the doorway despite the mud having dried under the golden sun to chalky dust once more.
    The final battle,
    Pain, suffering; overcome,
    by the united.


  9. #29
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    It had never occurred to Lieutenant Marienna Beren there was a possibility that her fellow logistician hadn't been assigned cross the galaxy, from corner to corner as she had been. Perhaps this was another statement to her nature, or how those around her found it off-putting. Put the one so undesirable in the corner, just anywhere. Like a doll in a miniature house. Perhaps Marienna was simply overthinking it. There was the distinct possibility, that like others in their position, they preferred to remain where they were. Some spent their entire careers, or in effect their entire lives within the safety of their little offices on Coruscant. There were pieces of that which, when truly thought upon were not entirely un-appealing.

    There was safety, comfort and certainty in sitting at the desk. When in the field there was a chance of adventure, a chance of danger. Rebellion was most certainly possible. In her years on planets far from home, Marienna recalled the times she was nearly struck by an errant blaster bolt. The moments when adrenaline began to flow freely through her veins, pain was no matter. There was only strength in will, in character, in the need to survive.

    So, for Marienna question remained. Who was Corwin Fischer, was he the man who preferred to remain at his desk, or was travelling the galaxy something he always wanted, but was seldom indulged in? In reality, she though, the truth likely resided between the two. Things were seldom so black and white, it was often lost in assumption. There was such futility in it, few people sought the truth. Fewer found meaning in it. How convenient it could be to accept what one believed, what one was told over and over again. Judgments, the galaxy was brimming with them.

    When she spoke of her adopted home, she noted how his eyes lit up. How he sat straight up in his seat, as though he were on the edge, just waiting for the next detail. There was a youthful curiosity, a profound joy in his demeanor that enticed her. There was never a moment where she had registered it could be in part, due to her own smile. There was a great nostalgia, a happier time and place. Marienna would give little thought to the idea that Naboo was home to the Emperor, it was a planet that was spared the worst treatment for that fact alone. In fact, it received special treatment, and while a part of her felt that she should be grateful for this, she wasn't. It made Marienna seethe with anger, other worlds suffered so greatly at the hands of the Empire, and her own spared for what? Nepotism? The love of the people who would pilgrimage to such a place, to impart their devotion.

    Marienna had been to Coruscant, many times. It was a world that overwhelmed her, assaulted her senses. Buildings reaching into the atmosphere, buildings that descended into the unknown depths of the planet, dipping toward the core it seemed impossibly labyrinthine. To an extent, it was inspiring, marvelous, an architectural feat beyond all compare, but at what cost? It was lonely, cold, filled with beating hearts but ever so empty. Marienna then found herself wondering what his apartment would be like, were there photos? Personal mementos? Or was it rather bare, much as her own was? Keeping her life within her, rather than exposed on walls and atop desks or mantles.

    "It's the perfect mudball. The land thrives, the people thrive off of the land. The smell as foul as it is, is nothing be a reminder that nature finds a way. It's beautiful in all of its horrors, it is something truly to behold." Marienna trailed off as Corwin's comm rang. This was not unusual in and of itself, and for a moment she thought nothing more of the subject. It wasn't until he had left her alone, in the darkness despite the sun hanging high over head. She wondered who was calling, what it was about. While true, he was her superior officer in this particular situation, they were officers of equal rank with no difference saved for the luck of the draw. Perhaps she was merely unlucky. He was gone,, and thus ended their small moment.

    Lt. Beren remained in the office, working quickly and efficiently across a variety of datapads, processing information, every so often looking up at the holomap, taking note of Syko's actions, though as the hours waned his activity did as well. "KV, I don't understand him. I wish I did." The droid which found itself working alongside the lieutenant made gentle beeps and a characteristic whirring in response to her query. "I don't suppose you want to tell me who the call was from?" She shook her head already knowing the answer. For a brief moment she contemplated hacking into her dear friend, but thought against it.

    Marienna walked quietly through the fields after the sun had set and the stars emerged, it was the quietest time of day. The barq provided a divine backdrop on the long walk home. Laying in her bed that night, she thought once more of home, of her strange situation and drifted to sleep. Returning to the office the next day she arrived after Corwin, removing her boots as she entered she paid him little mind, taking her seat at her workstation. She longed to ask him what the comm was about, though she settled on the idea that if she needed to know, he would tell her. "Good morning, Lieutenant" she remarked cooly.
    Thanks to Hayabusa/Ryoku for the set.

  10. #30
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    Corwin had lost track of time, nearly forgetting about the scheduled communication. He was disappointed he had to end his pleasant conversation with Marienna, he had be quite enjoying it. He wondered if she had been to many other worlds.

    "One moment, I am heading to my quarters." He informed the commlink warmly as he marched down the dirt road back to his billet. He could have taken the comm in front of Marienna, but he felt it unprofessional. He occasionally passed troopers and simply offered a polite nod, he would have to make the rounds and meet all the staff before much longer.

    "You didn't forget about me, did you Lieutenant?" The feminine voice replied wryly. "its not like you to be late."

    Corwin chuckled to himself. "Apologies Captain, I was in the middle of tracking a person of interest and; collecting geographical data." His words measured with a façade of importance to which the other replied with clear amusement.

    "Well, do go on, don't keep me in the dark."

    Corwin glanced at the surrounding primitive buildings, almost back to the barracks. He smiled to himself, he almost didn't notice the stench of the Barq on the wind, almost.
    "I am afraid it is top secret stuff, need to know only." He did his best to sound grimly serious despite the bold fabrication.

    The feminine voice softly chuckled, apparently unconvinced. "You're a bean counter Corwin!"

    A wide grin split his lips once more as he reached his barracks and the door opened and he stepped inside.




    Corwin sat at his work station engrossed in whatever he was doing, as he glanced between its screen and a data pad on the table top. His cap and an empty metal cup were sitting on the table top beside him, it seemed he had gotten an early start and been here for a while already. The room had a faint smell of exotic aromatics, a remnant of whatever Corwin had been drinking from the well worn metal cup.
    He glanced up from his work to acknowledge her but seemed preoccupied by his task despite the normal warmth to his tone.
    "Good morning Marienna."

    KV-2 Beeped happily at her return to the office, what passed for the droid's head whirred as it turned to regard her. It was parked at the data terminal undoubtedly processing and collating data as always.


    "Did you have any plans this morning? I was hoping to to go on a bit of a field trip to become acquainted with a few of the locals." He asked after a moment, still staring between the screens in front of him.
    The final battle,
    Pain, suffering; overcome,
    by the united.


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