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Post by kharivestra on Feb 12, 2011 17:28:22 GMT -5
The approach to the first checkpoint was one of the most nerve wracking things Khari had had to do all day. With perhaps the exception of their hasty escape from Vestra's apartment, conning their way into a restricted area really took the vweilu cake. It had been clear almost a day ago now that there would be no turning back once this thermal detonator of a plan was set to blow. Oddly, of all times it would be now that she remembered a saying her own parents had instilled in her when she was very young. That one day she would look back on these moments and laugh. Arri hoped to the force that was true, because the second they were in that restricted area, they were going to be fighting for their lives.
There was much that could have worried her, Kaur being one of them, but she was forced to comparmentalize those worries in order to keep her cool. If the old fool bungled this, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
Thankfully, and with a small ammount of silent gratitude from Arri, Kaur had kept his peace until they had reached the checkpoint, going over the necessary retinal and facial scanning, also voice recognition required to confirm he really was who they had notified would be coming. As far as the other two went, a regular scan was required, but they couldn't afford to be recognized, there just needed to be confirmation they were not bringing anything they shouldn't into a secure area. The biggest problem was going to be when they reached that second checkpoint, there they would need to prove their identity, if the first checks didn't come out as suspicious before they got there, in which case, they would be intercepted. The blonde hoped that if that happened, they would be too far down the interlinking walkway for them to catch up in time to get Kaur to safety. It was best to prepare for the worst.
But you already know those scans might be cross checked with recent security incidents, don't you? She thought as she eyed Kaur suspiciously. Not every member of the security personnel was going to be willing to let things slide for the Kuhlvults, especially those allied with rival households, or simply those who bore some resentment for the extravagances of the ruling households, their attitudes. They were, Arri had come to understand some years earlier, a very necessary evil.
Now alone on the open walkway, there was little in the way of scenery to take the mind off the gut-wrenching task at hand. But at least Kaur had held his peace as far as this point. The former telbun was about to regret that thought.
"When we get there, you will give me back what is mine and go?" He wasn't getting in that deathtrap of a ship if his life depended on it, and as fate would have it, it really did.
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 13, 2011 7:22:27 GMT -5
A mirthless chuckle eminated from Khari's mouth, but she didn't elaborate on what she found so amusing, he would either figure it out or he wouldn't. She wasn't in the least bit rattled by that comment concerning Tress, nobody knew anything more than they saw. But what she did do was wave off his explainations with an uncaring hand, fixing her attention, in stead, on the latter half of his words, another old Imperium contact then? Would he, like Klask, be prone to taking matters, rashly, into their own hands? Even so, it never hurt to inquire. She would be doing research of her own.
"Do so, I think it best that we weigh up all options available to us, if he is as suited to the task as you suggest, then it is an avenue I would certainly look into." She commented seriously enough, forgetting the pettiness of her pointed words earlier completely. Filing it away behind that mask of collected dignity that most Kuati seemed to possess in unworldly measures.
There was no denying that he had been surprised by her casual little comment, that he had inadvertantly confirmed what those loyal to her had been stating. The colour to which he paled was almost ashen, the blood draining from his face, before he too managed to raise that dignified mask, trying to make light of what she had subtly suggested as if it were the truth. It still could be, she supposed, but it was unlikely, Klask was in a whole world of trouble and for treason no less, the ruling households took a dim view of that to say the least. His entire family was at risk for his indisgression, therefore it would come natural to wish to flee the situation in some capacity. A pity, she thought, she had encountered his wife during a few formal occasions and had found her to be a very interesting soul. Klask's admission that she considered him to be a nuisance around the house when he was on leave, was amusing on a few levels, she could almost picture the older woman telling him so.
"Ah the trials and tribulations of married life, funny, I never pictured her as the sort for such practices. I wish her a safe return, then." There was no undertone to that, it was simple and plaintive as the words could be, he could choose to read into it or not, it made no difference to her, he now knew the true cost for his mistake, she had made her point exact.
Looking on as he deactivated the scrambler, Khari was about to head towards the door herself, when the sound of the Colonel's comlink began to bleed into the air around them, sharply filtering through her ears. Glancing in his direction, she paused when he answered it, expression curious, this could be the call she was waiting for, perhaps the Falleen had finally given up some answers? Unfortunately for her, things had taken a rather interesting nose dive into the perplexing.
She met his gaze with her own vibroblade sharp one, particularly at the mention of Kaur...he had been one of the main instigators of her opposition during those last deciding days she had vied for the position of CEO. Planting false evidence for affairs she had no part in, generally constantly attempting to dig up some foul act in her past. But she had always been one step ahead of him, so what had changed? Was this falleen working for Kaur all along? If that was so, she would see to it that he paid dearly for his involvement in this, that he would pay with his life. His actions had seen innocents dead, had caused KDY damage not only structurally, but profitably too, the system had been in lockdown for several hours, causing all manner of inconveniences and traffic diversions that would be encumbering them for days to come. All for what? A bid for power...Kaur was a fool.
And now he would seek to do what, exactly? What business did he have in that hangar, that ship might be space worthy, but no regular human being could have flown it even if they managed to make it past the meld with it's pilot. It was said that doing so without first becoming aware of the risks, how to deal with those mental aspects and put up barriers of thought, that a person could go insane in a matter of seconds. A fitting end, then, for Kaur of Kuhlvult.
Khari sighed sharply, shaking her head in disbelief. "I don't know what they are trying to achieve, Kaur knows fine well that he cannot sneak anywhere without someone noticing. This is ridiculous, that ship only responds to those adept in the force, and unless he or Arri have been keeping a very big secret all these years, I severely doubt that is the case with either of them. But the falleen...your report said that he was involved with the fight in the hangar, correct?" This wasn't a possibility she wanted to be considering, but would Kaur stoop that low, or was it that he had gotten into this mess so far up to his neck that he no longer had much of a say in how things went down? "If he held his own against several force users, it's possible that he possesses such powers, no? Yet he did not attempt to escape detention, this gets more perplexing by the second."
Khari was no expert on force users, if anything she attempted to avoid them, her view on the Jedi, for instance, was not a popular one among their kind. Had she the power to do so, she would have made them answerable to more than just themselves and a few key people within the Alliance. From her point of view, the Jedi were responsible for most of the detrimental suffering the Galaxy at large had suffered as a result of their wars with the Sith, or anyone who 'opposed' something they did not deem just. For guardians of the peace, they certainly start a horrendous ammount of wars.
But there was no time for dallying here. Picking up her step, she headed for the door, a flurry of silks in her wake, she turned back to look at Klask, who she had left at the table in her hurry to cross the room, she'd already made up her mind in her head, she just hadn't spoken it.
"What?" She asked as to what she took for incredulity, "Do you expect me to stay? I'm not sitting around here waiting for another of Capt. Banner's team to kark it up again, I want to see this with my own eyes."
Turning back toward the door, she activated the touch pannel to it's side and the heavy doors pulled back from either side with a soft swoosh....revealing beyond the reception area and one Tress Odak-Zann peacefully dozing, propped up against the wall. The sight stopped Khari right in her tracks, abruptly halting, she cleared her throat rather loudly. When he did not respond the first time, save to stir, make himself more comfortable and continue his impromptu nap, she did it again, louder.
"Senator Zann" Khari intoned imperiously, if not a little humerously, though the time certainly didn't call for any, "I apologize for interrupting your power nap, but I am going to have to delay our discussion a little longer, something unexpected has come up."
She peered at him, though not too closely, Klask had been referring to him as her shadow of late, though all that would be speculation, it didn't do well for anyone to add to the scant evidence.
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Post by tress on Feb 13, 2011 16:31:40 GMT -5
He had been resting peacefully if not uncomfortably for a while now, not really sure just how long but he was dreaming of certain things and had a goofy smile on his lips. The only thing marring this perfect impromptu nap was a pestering midge buzzing around his ear and cheek.
"Senator Zann" Khari intoned imperiously, if not a little humerously, though the time certainly didn't call for any, "I apologize for interrupting your power nap, but I am going to have to delay our discussion a little longer, something unexpected has come up."
It was with great regret that he tried to swat at it and ends up waking up with the stinging slap he delivered to himself. Popping right up and looking around as he rubs the pain away he sees Khari looking at him and overs her a lopsided sleepy look.
"Come up?" He asks confused. "I was dreaming and....want me to go then?"
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Post by Zanear the Edge on Feb 14, 2011 4:10:05 GMT -5
In the Kauti society, there is no higher place then to be one of the Ten, the aristocracy of individuals whose family lines can be traced back to before the Republic. These families, descended from among the wealthiest in the Core Worlds, came together to form this enigmatic group, creating the foundation of what is KDY, and Kuat itself. Throughout the centuries Kuat has been the most important shipbuilders in the Galaxy, and it's most bizarre politically. The deep level of labyrinthine politics and back stabbery is just as deeply rooted as the massive profits this company produces.
And so this brings us to the Ten themselves, where there own pecking order is defined by business as much by politics. The first house, of course, is the CEO, followed closely by the Kuhlvults, and so on. It's the last of these, number Ten itself, that brings us the most unusual member, Rondi Elrath. This leader of the House of Elrath (as he likes to proclaim his family title), is unlike most members of the Ten, as he is the most unorthodox and quite possibly the most brilliant. Rondi has several wild inventions, most of which are pure and utter failures, but the handful that have been a success have been tremendous. For years he studied with the Techno-Lords of Arkadia, even so much as having one be his personal adviser (although the rumor is that in fact they are lovers secretly has been bandied about by many that would be in the know) and has often tried to find a way to merge with the Arkadians in the past.
Rondi, being one of the younger house leaders, threw his lot in with Vestra when she made her move to make CEO, figuring a younger CEO would not only infuriate the older members (Kuar for example was beyond furious, and was caught swearing he'd find a way to have her removed). The older members seemed more mired in moving slowly instead of giant leaps of advancement,which of course lead to his own ideas being shot down out of hand. A younger generation has a more open mind, and he had hoped to see it come to fruition. But, as any good Kuati, he was also looking to move up in his own standing, which brings us to the present day.
One of the most important things a Kuati noble, too rich for their own good, has to have are several implants, bio-medical devices used for a variety of uses. Virtually every noble has at least one, if not several, placed within them. While most implants are brutish, ugly things, this is where our genius Rondi comes in, his greatest invention by far, the nano-DNA implant. This device, tailor-made for a specific individual based on their unique DNA pattern, fusing within the body minutes after injection, automatically homing in to the part of the body that is being augmented. Heavily tested, and studied intensely, this expensive process is used by the very wealthy, and often their servants. Many doctors have learned how to perform the delicate procedure, the the entire process is highly expensive and delicate, leading to a group of doctors that specialize in it.
This, of course, leads us to Doctor Rand Moruea, the leading physician for the Kuhlvults. He'd been working for the family for years, providing services for both family members and telbuns for years. However, unbeknownst to the Kuhlvults, dear Dr.Moruea had a small problem with a young girl of 16,and had to cover up his affair with her, aborting the proof of his indiscretions. That young girl was Rondi Elrath's niece. Using that knowledge, Rondi secretly gained the use of the good doctor, having him use special made nano-DNA implants with a secondary programming. Regardless of what implant was used, the secondary would create a auditory and visual recorder, using the persons own eyes and ears as recorders. So far, only a small handful of telbuns have been implanted, test subjects that see more than most ever would. And one such telbun has that exact implant within her, a anti-poison device that also secretly has been recording her every sight and sound......
****************************************************
Rondi had been watching for days now, glued to his vid monitor at all the exciting events that unfolded in front of his own eyes. This was the chance he'd been waiting for, the opportunity to help destroy Kuar, the old man had been a thorn in his side his whole life, and this was too rich to pass up. Rubbing his hands together as he smiled a malicious visage, he tabbed several spots in the air, his three dimensional panel lighting in the air at his touch. The Arkadian, a male of effeminate looks, walked into the room, wearing only a hastily tossed on robe. What is it Rondi? he queried. Still watching that craziness out there? Rondi turned and touched the man, drawing him closer. No Gwain, I am about to make my move. Have our guards at hanger 0127G. Tell them to eliminate Kuars men, but let the old fool and his two 'friends' inside, he chuckled aloud at that one, and the two men exchanged knowing glances. They'd seen it all, from Taru's betrayal and death, to Arri's frantic love making with the Falleen. Once there we plant that evidence we've gathered on Kuar, and help those two little love birds make their escape! Both of them laughed for a long time, and then set into motion their plan....
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Post by Zanear the Edge on Feb 14, 2011 15:07:54 GMT -5
Thankfully, and with a small amount of silent gratitude from Arri, Kaur had kept his peace until they had reached the checkpoint, going over the necessary retinal and facial scanning, also voice recognition required to confirm he really was who they had notified would be coming. As far as the other two went, a regular scan was required, but they couldn't afford to be recognized, there just needed to be confirmation they were not bringing anything they shouldn't into a secure area. The biggest problem was going to be when they reached that second checkpoint, there they would need to prove their identity, if the first checks didn't come out as suspicious before they got there, in which case, they would be intercepted. The blonde hoped that if that happened, they would be too far down the interlinking walkway for them to catch up in time to get Kaur to safety. It was best to prepare for the worst. They had smoothed through the checkpoint, All too easy... Zanear thought, sending another Force flash as he was scanned. He would be visually seen, but any records of his scans would be missing. Certain bio-metrics would come up non human, but the important equipment, like his lightsabers, would be on the scanners he flashed. They were getting close now, he could feel the living ship from here. The poor girl was morose, and felt trapped and abandoned. Tentatively, he reached out comforting thoughts, sending them like a wave, instead of trying to touch her mind. This would be extremely tricky, and he knew that time was of the essence. So it was during this that he almost missed Kuar's statement. "When we get there, you will give me back what is mine and go?" He wasn't getting in that deathtrap of a ship if his life depended on it, and as fate would have it, it really did. he quipped rather distractedly. Once I get to this ship, and we go over all the details, only then will we part ways. The Falleen was now battling two fronts, one in the Force and one in the physical world. He would be taxed heavily, but the reward would be worth the risk in the end. |
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 15, 2011 7:03:42 GMT -5
In her rush to get to the source of the situation, Khari had been thrown off course by the sight of Tress, still propped up against the wall, apparently dozing in plain sight of the secretary - whom shrugged at Khari when she had slide a curious glance her way - in a rather relaxed nonchalant way. Around him, some barely visible insect was bothering him to no end, disturbing his sleep enough that he would give a little swat of his hand every now and again, eventually culminating in the Senator slapping himself around the face.
Belaying the chuckle rising within, Khari merely smiled in that awkward way that just screamed 'Hi, welcome back', allowing him the time to answer.
"Come up?" He asks confused. "I was dreaming and....want me to go then?"
She shook her head once, murmuring a small negative sounding noise in the process, her mind still picking over just what Arri thought she was playing at. Betrayal didn't surprise her, this was the Kuat system after all, but there had been a lot of overstepping the mark in her circles lately, if she wasn't seen to be crushing such attempts to debase and humilliate her, there were other, more devious persons, who would see that as a weakness and strike when and where she least expected it.
"Actually I was hoping to borrow your expertise." The kuati intoned thoughtfully, "Walk with me."
Taking a brief glance at Klask, she wondered if he would advise differently, if he was considering this just another reason to reffer to the ammount of time she and Tress spent in eachother's company. But this time, she would have asked regardless of there being anything between them. The Colonel was right, if there were criminal activities going on here, those that harked back decades too, then he was uniquely suited to offering advise. The Zann consortium was built on such ideals...as much as she hated to remind him. Discussing things here in the halls wouldn't do them any favours, which was why if they kept themselves on the move, and certainly if they took a private transport, they could speak with some relative freedom.
"As for the rest, our mystery falleen has shown up again, with Arri and her master in tow, no less. I think it's time we got to the bottom of this little debacle, don't you?"
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 15, 2011 8:00:50 GMT -5
Things were going smoothly for the trio, a little too smoothly for Arri's liking, she didn't care how many strings Kaur could pull, how much power he held sway over those who toiled here to keep him and his entire family rich enough to purchase a planet in the unknown regions if they so wished, even he couldn't be this lucky.
Something was going on behind the scenes that neither she nor Zanear were aware of. But was Kaur? If she had been correctly identified, what was to stop them tracking her now? This was going to make the holonet news, she could already tell.
It was Kaur's complaint that had broken her train of thought, and Zanear's concentration it seemed. The broad shouldered falleen had taken to a certain quiesence of recent moments, appearing for all intents and purposes to vanish into his own thoughts, though his body was very much aware of where it was taking him, Arri could tell just by looking at him, that he wasn't entirely with them.
He was doing one of those Jediy things again...wasn't he? She thought, really wishing that for the greater good she could understand just what those 'things' were, and what he was doing with them. Kaur though, he was none the wiser.
"Fine, but see to it that you stick to that."
Arri kept her eyes forward, not wishing to react to the statement, though truthfully, she could see the second check point coming up ahead, and by the looks of things, they were expected. Two armed guards, as per usual, kept watch over the access to the hanger, the pair of them appearing far more animated than usual. Where once they would have stood perfectly still until they were within speaking distance, now the pair of them seemed to be somewhat agitated. It was Kaur, it had to be, so few matters actually gave cause for one of the Ten to come down here and deal with something in person, but this was a living ship they were guarding, one that had a mind of it's own, was it any wonder they were a bit unnerved?
"....don't know it just moved, trust me on this." Arri caught the tail end of that sentence as they stepped within a few meters of the pair, with the counterpart of the speaker, turning promptly and crisply to face the unlikely group then signalling for them to stop where they were.
The former telbun's heart began to race, so fast and so loud she thought it would explode. This couldn't be good. Willing a masque of calm to beset her features, she defered her stare to Kaur, expecting to see some sort of minor triumph there, some sign that his deception had worked, but all she could see was confusion, fear to some lesser degree. He hadn't been expecting this either.
Alarm sent adrenaline shooting down her spine in cold, sinewous streaks of ice-fire, this was it, she thought, the game was up, they would all be taken into custody and then held under the treason act until the ten decided how best to deal with them. It was a deal no one came back from. Why couldn't Zanear sense this kind of thing? Wasn't that what people with those kinds of abilities were supposed to do? Unless he, too, was hiding something.
"I'm sorry sir, but I can't admit you." The security operative said in dulcetly grim tones, holding up one palm out turned in a signal to halt all three of them. "There's been a small situation and I need to call this in. All areas beyond this point will be closed to unauthorized persons until the situation is deemed safe enough for personnel to have access."
Kaur merely scowled imperiously, opening his mouth to speak a few words of haughty contempt and override that order, when surprisingly, the security op's partner spoke up to contradict him.
"We don't know it's a situation yet, that ship's not going anywhere, the tech's stated that the subjugation measures were enough to keep it here, safely."
"I already acquired clearance, you should have recieved a communique to state as much." Kaur butted in imperiously, jabbing a finger in the non compliant guard's direction. "I was not informed that the area was unfit for visitation."
"Apologies vice chairman, my friend here is severely overdue his orbital leave. I think he might be space sick."
That was it, thought Arri, kow to to the important one, but he didn't mean a word of that apology, he just didn't want to lose his standing for the next best promotion. Nor indeed his job.
"Space-sick? I'm telling you, the life signs monitors went barvy with activity, I know what I saw. I'm only thinking of your safety Sir." The other operative protested, and it soon became a little clearer as to what was happening here. This wasn't a set up, something had given that ship cause enough to do something.
So would she be correct in her assumptions, Arri thought, that that something happened to be the heavily disguised falleen standing next to her? A sly smile played over her lips in mind, but did not appear in body. This was workable.
Taking the initiative, she stepped forward. "Forgive me for interrupting but...that is precisely why we were called. News from the technicians monitoring and studying the vessel informed my specialist research team and asked that we come along to take a better look at things. We are here for your safety, but I thank you for your concern."
The agitated man, a person in his late twenties by the looks of him, peered at Arri with a look that bled scrutiny. She might have looked harmless enough, but anything short of purest confidence on this subject would have seen her a suspect of fraudulent activity. He was just doing his job, couldn't blame a man for that.
"Indeed. And I wish to witness this with my own eyes, or do I really need to bother CEO Vestra with this trivial little matter of insubordination?" Kaur was no fan of her's, worst enemies might have looked upon one another with more favour, but that threat might be enough to nudge anyone into acting. He wasn't to be disappointed.
The inner battle with his sensibilities and convictions decided for him, the security op stepped aside and inclined his head in a small if not pious not of apology. "No, Vice chairman, you may enter once we complete the standard scans."
The blonde Kuati woman nearly groaned, here they went again.
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Post by tress on Feb 15, 2011 16:20:23 GMT -5
He heard her chuckle and smiled in return while looking around to see who was there. The other part of him going over what was happening that she would come to him for something. Not that he wouldn't help, it just had him wondering what could have happened now.
Expertise? That didn't sound to good, he thought as he walked with her. He threw the Colonel a glance, before looking over at Khari to ask. "Whats up?"
that was interesting news, he wanted to know what the deal was with this Falleen. That Arri was with him and helping him was something of a mystery. He had gotten good impressions from her the last time, and he had thought there had been an understanding between them. Guess he was wrong and it was just a lie.
The last part had him reaching for her arm and halting everyone. "Her master? Hes acting against you?" He asks, then looks at the Colonel before turning back to Khari.
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Post by Heg'zi A Klask on Feb 16, 2011 11:40:45 GMT -5
The Colonel quickly gets to his feet and follows the CEO, she has her mind set and a course of action decided. He is distracted in his own line of thoughts as to what accommodations for her presence at the imminent reunion with her assistant. He was fairly confident she would be fairly reasonable, but at the same time she had a bullheadedness of incredible might. So besides keeping her out of any immediate danger, there was little else he could do.
Klask suppresses a chuckle at the sleepy-mopey attitude of the Senator. The Colonel cannot help but crack a little smile though, and nods a little bow to Tress as he looks over at him.
Klask turns to Khari as Tress asks his question, differing to her to answer it.
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Post by Heg'zi A Klask on Feb 16, 2011 11:49:29 GMT -5
Meanwhile, as Banner steps from the transport his team deploys. They approached the facility form the opposite end than Kuar and his little group. Banner had already grilled his team and sent the men he could not be sure of off on other "important" tasks. His men enter into the mechanics facilities and head to positions deep inside and to cut their way into the hangar, for Klask had much earlier had the hidden accesses sealed. Now it was a waiting game.
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Post by Zanear the Edge on Feb 16, 2011 14:39:14 GMT -5
The doors swooshed opened on the far right, the security access way that lead directly to the checkpoint. Out of the shadows from within came six heavily armed and armored men, each carrying stun batons on their belts and heavy blaster rifles in their hands. Behind them, in full dress uniform was a Captain of the guard, his step and swagger only confirmed the look upon his face. He was looking forward to something.
Gentlemen, please. he intoned in heavily accented basic. Step away from our 'guests'. Stepping forward as the guards surrounded the whole ensemble, the new men raised their blasters at all three members of the traveling company. Standing directly in front of Kuar, the Captain grinned. I bet you never thought you'd see me again, eh?
Captain Hewlett, formerly General Hewlett, once served with distinction until a nasty incident with the Kuhlvults, had him taking the fall, and a big demotion, all courtesy of Kuar himself. I have a message for you, he spoke softly, but all could hear the venom in his voice. Greetings from the House of Elrath! and with that statement declared, the six guards turned as one and fired shot after shot into the two men at the checkpoint, blasting them until they remained only a smoking pile of burnt flesh.
Letting the shock of the moment settle in, he waits several long moments go on before continuing. Now, now, no need for disguises. Go ahead and remove that uniform, umk? he said pointedly at Zanear...
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As they waited at the checkpoint, Zanear again reached out to Selena, for that was her name. The poor girl had been frightened, sad and felt abandoned by her old master Corey. He had become ever increasingly dark, and seemed to stop being himself. She had felt like he was going mad. All this, of course, was what he picked up in thought-emotions, not actual words. Slowly, calmly he began to reassure her, letting her know she wasn't alone anymore, and that he would help her leave this awful place.
So it was with sudden surprise that he found himself surrounded, and Kuar being confronted by a man whose hate roiled off him in the Force like a sledgehammer. But that hate was filled with satisfaction, and that gave Zanear pause. And then the blasters went off, and the jig was up. When 'asked' to remove his maintenance outfit, he did, slowly as to not cause any trigger fingers to pull to hastily. All of this was some new twist and he would have to be very careful.
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 17, 2011 13:36:20 GMT -5
Khari's brown eyed gaze switched from Klask to Tress, the Colonel deferring to her on the matter he wasn't certain should be repeated in public, without authorization. And he was correct in his assumption, better he did not make any more presumptuous mistakes, that couldn't go well for him and frankly, his value was such that he was an asset she didn't want to squander lightly.
"Her master? Hes acting against you?" Tress had asked, and she could only make an ambiguous gesture of response.
"The ruling households have never been a cooperative conglomerate, at least entirely. While there are alliances forged and broken among them all the time, so too are there rivalries. Your business partner today could be tomorrow's enemy." Khari stated, not implicating Kaur, exactly, but not denying it either.
Without further ado, she waved them forth towards the doors with one elegant hand.
"Apologies to tear you from your important engagement with your dreams, Senator Zann, but we have a traitor to catch. And I for one, would like some answers to my questions."
It might have appeared odd that she was asking him to come along on this excursion, but he had been a part of this wether Klask knew it or not. There were things Arri knew about the two of them that Khari could not risk being blurted out in the midst of a scuffle, lest it lead them both to exposure. Whatever her relationship status, that went with far less consequences than the fact she was 'carrying on' with a member of the Zann consortium. It was an odd and unsettling notion that he would play liason for the Empire here at KDY, and she expected a scathing response when next the Ten met. Ensuring Arri kept her silence was just one small step to damage limitation.
Breezing through the halls, she spun on her heel momentarily to glance at the Colonel, who appeared more stoic than ever "I trust you do not mind us taking your transport again, I was going to have it returned to you when the meeting was ajourned, but this will be quicker. Khari explained, having pretty much decided they were going to comandeer it anyway. A shuttle would get them there in next to no time at all, but each step they were not taking was another second more that Arri and her Falleen accomplice could use to make good their plans. But what were those plans, exactly? The inclusion of Kaur was an obvious one, they needed him to get into that hangar, and no one short of the head of any household involved deeply with KDY was going to be able to do it. This left Arri as a valuable resource...one that had just drained it's self of all use for Khari. Betrayal wasn't a thing most Kuati allowed to hurt them emotionally, theirs was a very cold and clinical view. Business was after all, just business, and any relationships founded in whatever endeavour they were embroiled in, could fall apart at a moments notice, this had been the way for millenia. However, she had known Arri since she, herself, was little more than a girl, this betrayal stung, but she could never admit it. Never show weakness.
As they strode through the halls towards the private bay, she all but ignored security's attempts to exercise protocol, bypassing several officers as if they weren't there at all. Many of which grumbled something derisive under their breath, but she paid no heed to that either. The others might have had a more difficult time of things, though...
"Oh...and Senator? If you have a problem with your cochlea implant now, might I suggest adjusting it before we reach our destination, I don't need to be suffering from unsightly problems when we arrive."
That little quip over and done with, they could get on with things, or so she wished. Every passing heartbeat was tense, she just wanted this done with too. Then they could go about picking up the pieces of this mess, repairing the damage and smoothing things over literally and figuratively, then get things back on track. Never again would Kaur darken her door, though, Khari was certain of that.
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 17, 2011 14:21:52 GMT -5
All along this little section of the journey, Arri had suspected things were going to take a turn for the worse. She also trusted that with his extra sensory adeptness, that Zanear would have sensed a trap coming. He didn't, or rather, he didn't mention it.
Waiting in the wings were several armed personnel, who nearly swooped on the chance to intercept their group. Stepping in, weapons raised, from all sides, Arri's expression grew as alarmed as her aura in the force must have been. This wasn't meant to happen. They closed in around the group, taking up positions of vantage, trying to pin them down to one area that was inescapable no doubt. But then through the doors directly to the far right, stepped an officially decorated being, striding forth in full military dress regalia, a certain gait about him that was almost...smug. Everything about this man seemed to ooze superiority, as if he took a great deal of pleasure in the moment. Arri wasn't wrong.
And then she caught a brief glimpse of his visage...
"Oh no..."
If the former Telbun's gut had been forming knots at that sight, then Kaur's must have been doing summersaults! Oh he remembered this one alright, he remembered him, and the unfortunate crossing of his family, very well indeed. It had not turned out well for the Captain, former General, to say the least, a rather messy demotion that, to add insult to injury, had been exceedingly public too. Kaur supposed that he could serve as a shining example as to what would happen to any of those who offered anything less than complete allegience to he and the Kuhlvults.
Kaur heard the quip and stared back as impassively as he was able, why him? Why out of all the personnel scheduled on today did he have to be the one to interfere here? Wringing his hands, he wiped his sweaty palms off against the arms of his coverall, still far filthier than that of his two counterparts. Hewlett must have been getting a real kick out of this.
But his suspicions were completely thrown awry when Hewlett's men appeared to be acting under a completely different directive to those whom had surrounded them to begin with. And in turn, those other operatives looked back at their counterparts with an uncertainty and confusion that you could have smelt clinging to the air, cloying at their expressions like some acrid mist.
"Are you mad? What's going on here?!" Kaur's initial relief had turned to dust, or rather slag, he supposed, depending on what was about to take place.
Both Arri and Kaur looked on in awed horror as the argent exchange of blasterfire began just as suddenly and severely as it eventually ended. The guards not with Hewlett only ever managing to squeeze off a couple of irratic shots before being gunned down by his own men. Arri had not caught what the Captain had uttered to Kaur, but the Kuati aristocrat was now as ashen as a corpse, frozen in his stark realization of the situation he was truly in. There was no way out of this, help wasn't on it's way, it couldn't be so long as Hewlett stood there between him and freedom.
"Elrath?..." the old man sputtered, the name leaving his lips a hoarse whisper, "I...I don't understand, what do they have to do with this?"
Arri suspected that he did know, but playing innocent was just another aspect of Kaur's denial, if he didn't say it, it wasn't happening. But he had made himself enough enemies over the years, he was bound to forget that one day those might come back to haunt him. And what better time than now? So long as Hewlett didn't take it upon himself to exact his revenge by utilizing herself, this would work in Zanear's favour...and true to form, the Falleen had been deadly silent for the past few moments, eyes still distant, but attentive. If he was somehow communicating with that ship, now would be a good time to get it to do something fancy, throw the hanger into chaos and get them out of here.
But there was still the small matter of the live-wired mesh that covered it, prevented it from making contact with the outside world to some degree. Or, indeed fleeing all together. They would need to take out the power, if just for a few moments to make good their escape. Auxillary would kick in eventually, and then they would be up the creek without a paddle.
Perhaps now was a good time to show their hand? Arri had been waiting for that for a long, long time. Point in fact, when she glanced at Kaur, it was with the utmost contempt.
Soon, you old fool, you will have outlived your usefulness. She seethed inwardly.
To Kaur, who had never ever had to deal with the 'messier' side of his own endeavours, the stench of charred flesh was overpowering, and he could feel the bile rise in his throat, each time he took a measured breath. Controlling the intake did little to aleviate the scent he could almost taste if he thought about it too much.
"Ok, perhaps I was a little rash in my decisions back then, but I was...a little"
"Foolish?" This from Arri, who spoke possibly the loudest and most assertive than she had in her entire time as his telbun.
Kaur attempted to shut her down with a single razor-edged glare, cobalt eyes boring into her very soul. But she didn't falter, never doing what she should have and averting her gaze. She simply stood there, glaring back at him defiantly, ignoring the imminent danger for the meanwhile.
"What in the name of the trade spine has gotten into you?" The older man shot back, confusion and outrage tainting his voice.
Arri shrugged almost nonchalantly, but her words were as cold as ice. "Well it certainly wasn't you."
With everything that was unfolding here, time was rapidly slipping away from them, it wouldn't be long before tensions finally snapped. Arri would keep this going for as long as she could, keeping Kaur confused, agast if she had to, but she didn't know what Hewlett's plans for them all were, she just wanted to separate herself and Zanear from Kaur in terms of alliances, so if something did happen to the old codger, they would be left out of it.
But what was this? The Captain approached them now, asking that Zanear remove the helmet that hid his face from view, claiming to know that this was a disguise...what exactly did he know?
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Post by tress on Feb 17, 2011 18:23:23 GMT -5
"Its quite alright, Lady Vestra. I was just....uh, going over certain matters in my head. Have to keep them fresh ...." Taps his head. "....its been so long, I don't even know what it is anymore." He says hoping she got his meaning, but dropped it and went on with the business at hand.
"So give me a sit-rep. What do you have on your hands?" He asked wanting to know more about whatever it was that was happening. She had asked for his personal expertise. He wanted to know before hand before he had to reveal something he would rather keep secret. His past was his own, and things in them where better left not spoken.
The implant again, he placed his hand at the back of his neck and messaged it hiding his smile. Tilting his head this way and that working out the kinks. "Its the close proximity i think that effects you so......personally. I still cant hear very well out of my left ear so if i need to boost the power i will do it away from you." He looks at her questionably hoping she will go along with that. "That way it shouldn't shatter your concentration and only possibly give you a tingle if anything. You can handle a tingle....its better than having that explosive shock though your implanted system, right?"
Inside the shuttle he finds a seat with a self satisfied smile as he gets comfortable..
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Post by Zanear the Edge on Feb 18, 2011 3:22:56 GMT -5
"Elrath?..." the old man sputtered, the name leaving his lips a hoarse whisper, "I...I don't understand, what do they have to do with this?" Captain Hewlett smiled, but it had no mirth in it, only a malice deep in it's heart. I've waited for this day a long time, to see you fall, he practically hissed the words out, so only Kuar would hear them. Arri suspected that he did know, but playing innocent was just another aspect of Kaur's denial, if he didn't say it, it wasn't happening. But he had made himself enough enemies over the years, he was bound to forget that one day those might come back to haunt him. And what better time than now? So long as Hewlett didn't take it upon himself to exact his revenge by utilizing herself, this would work in Zanear's favor...and true to form, the Falleen had been deadly silent for the past few moments, eyes still distant, but attentive. Perhaps now was a good time to show their hand? Arri had been waiting for that for a long, long time. Point in fact, when she glanced at Kaur, it was with the utmost contempt. Soon, you old fool, you will have outlived your usefulness. She seethed inwardly. To Kaur, who had never ever had to deal with the 'messier' side of his own endeavours, the stench of charred flesh was overpowering, and he could feel the bile rise in his throat, each time he took a measured breath. Controlling the intake did little to alleviate the scent he could almost taste if he thought about it too much. "Ok, perhaps I was a little rash in my decisions back then, but I was...a little""Foolish?" This from Arri, who spoke possibly the loudest and most assertive than she had in her entire time as his telbun. Kaur attempted to shut her down with a single razor-edged glare, cobalt eyes boring into her very soul. But she didn't falter, never doing what she should have and averting her gaze. She simply stood there, glaring back at him defiantly, ignoring the imminent danger for the meanwhile. "What in the name of the trade spine has gotten into you?" The older man shot back, confusion and outrage tainting his voice. Arri shrugged almost nonchalantly, but her words were as cold as ice. "Well it certainly wasn't you."The guards remained ever so stoic, but Hewlett savored it. Don't ask me, although I'd love to tell. Better yet... and at this he trialed off as those doors opened again, and this time the figures that emerged were none other then Rondi Elrath himself, and his 'partner' the Arkanian Gwain Adaska. They walked slowly, with a sort of aristocratic arrogance that all Kuati seemed to ooze at all times. And then he was standing in front of Kuar. Old fool, did you think I'd let this opportunity be passed up? I wouldn't miss it for the Galaxy! He paused and began to pace, back and forth. First things first... he waved to Gwain and the Arkanian brought forth a datapad, handing it to Kuar. Bring up all your accounts, all of them.With everything that was unfolding here, time was rapidly slipping away from them, it wouldn't be long before tensions finally snapped. Arri would keep this going for as long as she could, keeping Kaur confused, aghast if she had to, but she didn't know what Hewlett's plans for them all were, she just wanted to separate herself and Zanear from Kaur in terms of alliances, so if something did happen to the old codger, they would be left out of it. But what was this? The Captain approached them now, asking that Zanear remove the helmet that hid his face from view, claiming to know that this was a disguise...what exactly did he know? As the two heads of households spoke, Zanear was fading in and out of it. Selena was probing his mind now, and his powers weren't as advanced as many others. It took a great deal of concentration. And even now things had went a totally different direction then he had imagined. Fighting at this point was out of the question, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on battle and Selena's probing. No wonder it made men who didn't have the Force mad, he thought warily. But soon he was out of the uniform, and in his normal attire. All this would be for naught if they couldn't get out of this bind and escape on Selena. And that was the thought he held on to, escape. If Selena would understand that they needed her and she them, then she would stop squeezing his mind like jelly, and help them. But luckily Kuar had tripped something off, but instead of his savior's, it was an enemy, and they knew something.... Captain Hewlett grinned and held out his hand to Zanear. Your quite the celebrity, a pleasure to meet you, although it was mighty close. He shook the Falleen's hand in a strong grip, then let go. You look almost out of it, it's the ship isn't it? he asked, rather reverently. The man knew it was a amazing piece of living tech, but he was still awed by it. Gwain will want to record all of this for posterity, look her he comes now... and indeed, after handing Kuar the first datapad, the effeminate Arkanian sashayed over to Zanear, giving the Falleen a once over that would normally be amusing, but at this point Zanear barely noticed. Two of the six guards came over and stood right next to him, as the Arkanian pulled out several wires and began placing them on Zanear, a med-type unit no one else in the room had ever seen before began taking readings. Tell us Zanear, how do you feel? Details, details! he intoned. Hewlett then looked at Arri and smiled, a knowing thing that was more creepy then reassuring. As Kuar sputtered, Rondi waved a finger at Arri. Oh do come here my dear, nice and safe behind me, hmmm? The second pair of guards surrounded the beautiful telbun, making sure she didn't do anything foolish. Now, I'm gonna have this young lady look over this information... he pointed to the datapad. If it matches the figures I have, oh yes I have indeed been spying on your accounts old man, then we can move forward. He laughed, a crazy sounding noise that sent shivers rather then humor. Oh my naughty girl, take this... he said to Arri, pulling out a blaster pistol and pressing it into her hand, letting go before she could refuse to take it. Now then, you'll do something for me, and I'll do something for you, hmmm? There was a twinkle of knowing in his eye, frighteningly clear as he made eye contact with her. |
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 18, 2011 14:13:45 GMT -5
"Not to worry, I am certain my memory will recall any of the small details you missed out. As you are, by now, aware, I have a knack for remembering all the little things people would rather I forgot." Khari smiled ruefully, as if sharing a private joke with them both, but her words were not too far from the truth, that would unsettle some to say the least.
"Just say the word and I can jot a few useful things down for you."
As for the rest, she held her peace, there was never any garuntee that what they spoke about wasn't being listened in on wherever they went, but inside the confines of the transport greatly reduced the chances of being overheard if the Colonel was as meticulous about his security sweeps as he was everything else he seemed to implement. If not, they could just as easily make use of that feed scrambler prior to them travelling, unless their pilot didn't mind flying blind...a little risky at such close proximity to the in and out going traffic.
Rubbing her temples tiredly, she made a rather nonchalant gesture in no one's particular direction, he would understand that it meant she couldn't speak so freely here in the halls they traversed, even less so when they reached the hangar.
"It is a little sensitive, you understand. It can wait until after this mess is dealt with, who knows, perhaps it will shed some light on a few things?" And then she realized, here she was dragging Tress into something again, the Colonel already had his supicions. "If you have other matters to attend to, out talks can wait until they are seen to. I don't mean to take such a large portion of time out of your day." Her apologetic tone was sincere enough, her expression more so. What a tangled web they wove, and what guilt she felt for his becoming so embroiled in Kuati affairs.
By the time they had boarded the shuttle, settled in and were ready for take off, the group had fallen into an uneasy silence, each member becoming lost in the miasma of their own thoughts, a little awkwardness thrown in for good measure. No doubt their thoughts were as much her own as her's were theirs. What were they walking into here, just what was really going on and how would this all end? The rest could be left to speculation, because Khari doubted that the entire truth would be revealed, especially where Kaur was concerned, his slippery attituded and deeds had seen him to a high vaulted status, he wouldn't go out without keeping something from them permenantly, if just to spite her.
"So far as I know, " Khari began explaining to Tress, "the connection in all of this is Arri herself. She is the one to have made contact with the falleen from the outset, she is Kaur's telbun and assistant, and now for reasons I cannot fathom, he is there, in that hangar, with them both. Wild banthas couldn't have dragged him down there for the fun of it, he would have sent Arri or another in his stead, that suggests to me, at least, that he had little choice in the matter, or..." She tapped the armrest of her chair lightly with her fingertips, tapping out a small beat, "...the matter is of such urgency and importance that no one but himself could go along."
With a non commital shrug she canted her head this way and that, mentally weighing up the possibilities for herself. No doubt it would all make sense soon enough, but her patience had long since worn thin.
"That man never does anything without a good reason, and with him being an open opposer to my position here, I therefore have to take into account that any reasons he does have are reasons enough for me to know about them."
If he was attempting to hide that smirk of his, he was doing so very badly, though standing between Tress and Klask hid the other from view well enough that the Colonel wouldn't have seen that little slip up absolut. However she took his comments with the same air of ambiguity that Tress, himself, was using, chosing to merely agree with him rather than dispute his compromise too much.
"We already have a basic understanding what I can handle, but I thank you for your consideration all the same." She turned that engraciating smile upon him then, the hint of something deeper glimmering in her dark eyes for the smallest of seconds. "I will have to remember and extend the same courtesy at some point."
She hadn't said the words maliciously, nor falsely, but neither had they been devoid of that subtle spark of a promise. He would know what she meant, though just when she would turn the tables depended on him...there was still that agreement they had yet to bring to fruition. No doubt he hadn't forgotten about it, as much as Khari would have allowed him to. He had a knack for surprising her with little thoughts like that, but she was full of surprises herself, as well she had proven on Obroa Skai.
The shuttle departing, all three of them safely on board, they were finally on their way to the repair zone, and the site of the nearby classified hangar.
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 18, 2011 17:26:59 GMT -5
And Kaur knew why too. The knots in his stomach drew tighter, stifling him and preventing him from speaking for those few moments. He couldn't believe this moment was now at hand...where had it all gone so terribly wrong? Had Zanear not looked a little dumbfounded himself, the Kuati aristocrat might have placed the blame firmly on his green, scaly shoulders. But this was an unexpected turn of events, that miscreant knew nothing about this, just the same as he didn't. It was beginning to look like none of them were going to make it out of this unscathed, but if one of them had to survive this, it would be him, no questions asked.
All eyes were on those doors, watching as they cycled again and in strode two beings swathed in the garb comprised of the most luxurious fabrics, befitting of those whom could afford it. Kaur recognized the slightly shorter of the two as a junior member of the Elrath household, one of the few households to pledge their allegience and support in Vestra when she had vied for the position of CEO. So was that it then? Vestra had finally found the time to take it upon herself to end him? He would have chuckled had the idea been executed under entirely different circumstances, she wouldn't get away with this, not a chance, there was too much evidence stacked against her, and he would ensure in his final moments that the information he had been collecting on her over the passing months, would become common knowledge among the ten. It only took a word.
This, however, was simply obsurd.
He did not recognize Rondi's counterpart at all, nor did he consider the man worthy of his attention, so when the younger Elrath stepped towards him, signalling for someone to pass him a datapad - one that he then held out to Kaur in turn - Kaur offered him a belittling smile, looking down his nose at the younger man with detestible contempt. How dare he demand such things of him, did he not know who he was dealing with?
"You forget your place, Rondi. I do not have to defer to you on anything. Nor will you find me nearly as cooperative as any of the others you may have negotiated with to find me here." Kaur snarled contemptibly, the subtle wrinkling of his nose betraying his distaste. Everything about the house of Elrath offended his senses, they were some of the most purile and detestible among the Ten, their audaciously open minded views sought to fray the very fabric of what had made KDY what it was today. These ones would be the end of the Kuati monopoly on the shipbuilding industry, and he wasn't about to let that happen on his watch, no, not at all.
"That is the problem with you younger ones, you do not comprehend the level of respect we elders deserve if simply because we have earned it. I helped shape what this corporation has become in the last few decades while you were still clinging to your telbun's robe-skirts, and here you stand, demanding to view my accounts? What business is it of yours what I do with my own assets?"
"Perhaps it is because he believes you have something to hide, master." Arri spoke out, that same unaccustomly chilling edge lacing her words. But Kaur was far gone beyond the boundaries of shock to look anymore incredulous than he did already.
"Something to...? That is obsurd!" Kaur shot back venomously, blabbering on for the next few tense moments, but Arri wasn't interested in listening. It was all or nothing now.
"If it is so obsurd, what do you have to lose by proving it? Showing him will hardly cause you any damage, he cannot do anything with the information without your authorization code." And therin lay the beauty of her ploy...many a time he had utilized that code in her presence, forgetting - like so many of the aristocracy when a telbun was around - that she was present at all, and while she would not be able to remember it, she was still completely unaware of her significance in all of this. Simply put, it wouldn't matter, there were things in motion now that could never be turned around. Poor Kaur, she thought bitterly, even now he didn't see that his end was truly upon him.
The Kuati noble scowled at her, but his expression soon softened, and he gave a judicious nod of his head, "You do, as much as I dispise to admit it, have a point. Very well."
A deft pattern over the datapad later, and he had called his accounts to screen, then handing the pad out toward Rondi a second later, letting the younger man pry it from his clammy hands rather than let it go easily.
Arri wasn't sure who to trust at this point, Zanear was still trying to coalesce the ship into responding to him whilst they were outside of it, he still didn't appear as if he was all here in the present, so it was down to her to try and get a handle on things until they were in a position to leave. Nervously, for she had done many things and none of them had been this openly dangerous, she moved carefully to where Rondi had beckoned her, flanked by a set of the newly arrived guards who had gunned down their counterparts seconds earlier.
Making no sudden moves, her brow knitted with worry, her green eyes downcast, she looked upon the informationd displayed on the datapad. And for once, Kaur made no move to try and prevent her from doing something. Maybe realization of her betrayal had finally caught up with him?
The information was all present and correct, she couldn't see anything out of place, what was there was genuine and enough to buy a small unnamed system in the unknown regions if he had so wished. More than enough to see her and Zanear well off, but she somehow doubted, whatever Rondi hinted at, that this would be the case now.
"It's genuine." She confirmed with a small nod, the fatigue and tension beginning to show in her posture, taking it's toll in a thousand small ways.
But that laugh, no - cackle, was spine chilling. She had known of the Elrath's for some time, interacted with their heads of household but stayed clear of the younger, more rambunctious, ones if simply because her endeavours never required that they need know of anything. This one, though, was almost certainly eccentric, perhaps even verging on mad to a lesser degree. She wasn't going to disagree with him now though.
The cold press of metal against her palm made her gaze snap up to meet his suddenly. Sudden enough to have the two personnel flanking her raise their weapons in a jerk reaction to her startlement. But Rondi seemed not to notice, making sure she had the weapon tightly within her grasp before moving his hand away swiftly, so that she would be left holding it. His words to her were as cold as the endless void it's self, that expression, the chilling look in his eye left her no doubt as to what he wanted her to do.
For several painful moments, she stared back at him, shock draining all the colour from her face, and had she cared to look, Kaur's too.
When Arri took a step back, the guards followed, and she closed her eyes as she took a few deep breaths, steadying her heartbeat and allowing her clearer peace of mind with which to look at this situation. It would always come back to this, this had been the only way all along and the time was now. There would be no avoiding it.
She opened her eyes, holding her head high when she regarded Kaur, who stared back at her, fear brimming on the cusp of his demeanour. He even had to hide his shaking hands within the sleeves of that tattered coverall to preserve some small ammount of dignity.
"You can't...what about our child?" He stammered in a hoarse whisper, the fear plain to see in his eyes now.
The former telbun's expression was unreadable, there was no way of telling what was going through her mind, wether or not she would turn that blaster on anyone in the room. And it was only now she realized the unrelenting silence was down to what was unfolding between them. She and her now bereft master.
She issued a derisive scoff, "There is no child, Kaur. There never was."
He said nothing, which was possibly the greatest service he had done her in all the time she had been bound to his will.
Arri brought that blaster pistol up to bear on him, and to his credit, he did not beg.
"...And there never will be."
In the high vaulted space of the hangar, three blaster shots rang out, permeating the silence in the moment that Kaur of Kuhlvult ceased to be.
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Post by Heg'zi A Klask on Feb 18, 2011 20:37:26 GMT -5
Klask follows along and offers no complaint when she speaks of comandeering his vehicle; well more specifically before he could, she indicated they were not leaving him behind this time.
As they are traveling along, Klask pays very little attention to the conversation, figuring she is just bringing Tress up to speed on what she feels he needs to know and what she wishes to share. Long practice in married life has blessed him with the skill of tuning out most of a conversation but scanning enough of it so one does not miss those important details... like unexpected obligations one's spouse sneaks in. As they are descending to the lower level to head over to the hangar Klask's comlink goes off, seeing it is from Banner, he simply puts it on speaker so Khari can hear it first hand as well.
"Klask... What's the situation Baner?"
Banner's voice is a little muffled and tinny, it almost sounds as if he is in a cramped space, which as it turns out he is.
"We are in position but something has transpired. It seems there are some other factions in this. Rondi Elrath just came out with that Bantha-turd of a "General", I cannot tell what is going on exactly, either Rondi's or Kaur's men have the localized audio feeds locked out. Elrath's men were laying in wait, someone has a tap on the secure coms then, our op is not even broadcast among normal security channels..."
"Kaur looks like he is ready to bite someone's head off, I think they are trying to extort him..."
"And they are pulling Arri off to the side... and now the, yup we have visual, it is the Falleen..."
Banner can be heard giving a quiet order to someone else, the details are mostly to hushed to hear, before he comes back online.
"Something is not right, the Falleen looks like he is drugged and Arri is...
Sweet mothers of Kuat! Arri just executed Kaur!
Klask cuts a sharp corner and accelerates, and looks over to Tress as he unholsters one of his rancor handled heavy blasters, handing it to the Senator.
"I take it you can use this, under your seat is another one. Lady Vestra, if you are not armed, I suggest you use it. It does not seem to be a good day to be an unarmed aristocrat."
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Post by Zanear the Edge on Feb 19, 2011 2:36:22 GMT -5
The cold press of metal against her palm made her gaze snap up to meet his suddenly. Sudden enough to have the two personnel flanking her raise their weapons in a jerk reaction to her startlement. But Rondi seemed not to notice, making sure she had the weapon tightly within her grasp before moving his hand away swiftly, so that she would be left holding it. His words to her were as cold as the endless void it's self, that expression, the chilling look in his eye left her no doubt as to what he wanted her to do. For several painful moments, she stared back at him, shock draining all the color from her face, and had she cared to look, Kaur's too. When Arri took a step back, the guards followed, and she closed her eyes as she took a few deep breaths, steadying her heartbeat and allowing her clearer peace of mind with which to look at this situation. It would always come back to this, this had been the only way all along and the time was now. There would be no avoiding it. She opened her eyes, holding her head high when she regarded Kaur, who stared back at her, fear brimming on the cusp of his demeanor. He even had to hide his shaking hands within the sleeves of that tattered coverall to preserve some small amount of dignity. "You can't...what about our child?" He stammered in a hoarse whisper, the fear plain to see in his eyes now. The former telbun's expression was unreadable, there was no way of telling what was going through her mind, whether or not she would turn that blaster on anyone in the room. And it was only now she realized the unrelenting silence was down to what was unfolding between them. She and her now bereft master. She issued a derisive scoff, "There is no child, Kaur. There never was." He said nothing, which was possibly the greatest service he had done her in all the time she had been bound to his will. Arri brought that blaster pistol up to bear on him, and to his credit, he did not beg. "...And there never will be."In the high vaulted space of the hangar, three blaster shots rang out, permeating the silence in the moment that Kaur of Kuhlvult ceased to be. After those three shots rang out, Rondi danced in a circle around the dead corpse of the man he had despised for a decade. He spit on him and occasionally kicked him. The act was simply mad, and he looked a lunatic. The guards, however remained as vigilant as ever, not even blinking. But soon enough Rondi seemed to come back to his senses and began marking off a rather large chunk of Kuar's holdings. These in red are mine. The rest belong to you and him. He nodded with his head at the Falleen, who seemed completely out of it. Shall I tell you a secret? he asked her, a conspiratorial tone to his voice. I know everything. There was no way you were getting to that ship without help, I don't know how many favors I had to call in to get this checkpoint clear, not that it's empty by a long shot. You remember Klask, yes? He and our beloved CEO are on their way here now. And you know first hand how she deals with telbuns that betray her trust, yes? And again that look, frightening, and with such a mad clarity it seemed as if he stared into her soul. And then he did the most terrible thing she'd ever seen him do. He smiled. That horrible visage, something within that look, was pure terror itself. But I'm afraid your an outlaw now, murdering your Master and all, stealing from his accounts.... he paused dramatically then carried on, even if he was a traitor. It was then that he removed several documents from his robes, tucking them into Kuar's breast pocket within his smoldering robes. All these letters are proof of his spying and intelligence gathering, planting of false evidence and even now, a vile collaboration with the Yuuzaan Vong! his hand waved in the general direction of where Selena was held. He came down here to plant some sort of living weapons onto the Array, things this ship had been carrying and the true reason Corey Dooku was here, all designed to discredit Khari with that wild battle on the Station. He shook his head in mock sadness. Poor Kuar, his death was a mercy really. And with that said, he turned on his heel and strode over to Zanear and Gwain. It seemed for all intents and purposes that Arri no longer existed. The Arkanian had been badgering the Falleen with tons of rapid fire questions, he couldn't concentrate, so he simply answered then truthfully as he fought against Selena attempting to implant her own will on him. It was at the brink, he needed to get closer, to use his pheromones to gain an advantage. Closer... he croaked, staggering towards the hanger bay doors, he was barely aware, he no longer was cognizant of events around him, Selena was so powerful.... Rondi stood there and watched, waving half of his guards into the hanger bay, the other three staying with the group. Now all we need to do is get rid of that net, and of course get several samples of the ship...and hoping he can actually do it, and fly her, well then you two sweet lovers can go. He spoke to Zanear, who only nodded in the affirmative. Slowly he moved closer into the hanger, and closer to the prize. The whole time Captain Hewlett watched it all unfold, his own satisfaction great for making the right choice. House Elrath would move up the ladder, and be one step closer to providing the wave of new young aristocrats. But no time for delay, he went into the hanger with the first three guards, walking along the walkways that surrounded Selena. She was swaying back and forth, twitching and moving as if in some sort of convulsion. Moving to the primary control panel, he made as if to throw the switch that would shut down power to the net that covered the poor girl even now. |
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Post by kharivestra on Feb 19, 2011 10:39:15 GMT -5
If ever she saw a more demented display of madness so soon, she would surely go insane herself. And then again, perhaps she truly had?
There, several meters away on the floor, lay Kaur of Kuhlvult's inert form, three blaster burned holes still smouldering, filling the air with a smell no one could ever get used to, singed flesh, the metallic tang of blood cauterized by the heat. Arri was a good shot, though she hesitated to admit it, managing to get him dead on target, two in the chest one right between the eyes. And now there was Rondi, dancing his demented dance of death all around Kaur's body, cackling demented insults and spitting in his general direction. It didn't come more disrespectful than this, but right now Arri didn't care.
The former telbun never noticed when Rondi approached, but nor did she start when he offered her a sizable portion of those credits Kaur had sequestered away all this time. In stead, she simply nodded plaintively, the levity of the situation starting to dawn on her bit by bit by bit. What did they do now, she and Zanear? Spend the rest of their lives running? The Kuhlvults wouldn't let this lay, and with their resources stretching out throughout the galaxy, they wouldn't be able to set foot inside the core again without someone noticing.
Blaster still in her shaking hands, she lowered the weapon so as not to cause anymore unnecessary alarm, then pocketed it for safe keeping. This was just as well, for what Rondi had to tell her was going to shatter her world. He knew everything? Not just a little, nor a lot, he had said, everything. Arri knew well enough to tell when a person was being general and when they were absolutely serious. Not one hint of deception did she find in those words.
"How? How is this possible, the security sweeps never turned up any monitoring devices, any bugs, nothing." Were they being observed remotely, even now?
"I checked myself...I was always conscious of where I was going or who might overhear, I left nothing to chance!"
When Rondi slid closer to her and spoke of Khari and Klask's imminent arrival. She could not afford to let herself succumb to the shock of what she had just perpetrated here, despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins urging her to do something rash. No, keeping a calm and clear mind was essential and as Rondi, himself, had pointed out, Arri knew precisely what happened to telbuns that turned into traitors. So he had seen that too? It might have been her last favour to Khari, an apology almost, to insure that she found out that little detail.
"That was different" The blonde responded, still unable to take her eyes off of her handiwork, "but I see your point."
Now she understood what was going on, if all else failed Rondi, he could blame this on the pair of them and that might be a part of his plan anyway, she didn't know what was on those documents, but she knew enough to be certain that when Khari arrived, she was going to discover all she wanted to know on those pieces of flimsi. Arri had no intention of telling anyone otherwise, not right now, maybe never.
"It is not my place to question why you are doing this, so I won't. But I need to know that we won't be followed, that you can keep KDF from tracking our trajectory or following us at all. And as for him..." she flicked a wrist in Kaur's direction, "...it is no more than he deserved."
On that matter, they could agree, maybe death was too good an end for Kaur. But this didn't deviate from the path she and Zanear had chosen, the old mans fate had been sealed long ago.
Attentions shifted to the Falleen, or rather his task of getting Selena to respond to him, and Rondi went to join his counterpart in his persistent questioning that was every bit as insane sounding as that little caper Rondi had done all around Kaur's cooling corpse. They were madder than a box of gubbers, these two!
Confident the immediate danger was over for the meanwhile, she attempted to follow Rondi, paying his ignorance no mind, that was something she was used to from anyone really. And, as expected, the two men flanking her trained their sights on her as she went, better to air on the side of prudent caution, she supposed. They need not have worried, Arri wanted out of here as much as Zanear right now, but was he having any luck?
"Let him concentrate..." She spoke up insistantly, an earnest look in her eyes. If they really had so little time before more arrived, they only had one chance to get this right.
Ah yes, the net! She was no engineer, but she knew that everything had a power source, all they needed to do was shut it down and they were home free...in theory.
Thankfully for all of them, Hewlett was on the proverbial smash ball. Now it was all down to them, so long as Rondi was able to keep the spacelanes relatively clear, their tangent would have to be a swift one.
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