A Curious Coincidence

[Caelag Vass]

Caelag smiled kindly as she walked past the numerous children, primarily chiss with several others mixed in, to stand at the doorway. Things had become so quiet, so peaceful, in her life. She'd never felt so, useful. After her time as a Republic soldier, she'd been presumed dead for a year or so at this point, and no one had ever come for her. Not her Father, not her few friends, no one. She'd truly disappeared from the face of the galaxy. Few people could ever hope to achieve what she had, few people could ever dream of being able to escape their old lives.

Even if she still secretly purchased and practiced with her custom rifle, a modified X-52 cold war sniper rifle. Even out here, where she was simply Miss Ayla, a small school teacher, she couldn't expect war to stay away forever. For the sake of the children she had to keep up some level of ability to protect them... and so she kept it locked away in her classroom locker, where the kids wouldn't see it and she could easily get it out in an emergency.

But she'd never needed it, and today seemed to be no exception as she let the little ones out for recess and their midday meals. The woman let out a small sigh as the last student ran off, before she returned to her desk and sat down, relaxing back a bit. She dressed somewhat like she had at military balls, a nice shirt and pants, but nothing too restrictive or elegant. In fact outside of her bandage-like blindfold, and purple hooded cloak, you wouldn't have reason to really look at her twice.

She liked it that way.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Encircled by her personal guards, the Wolfsglaive - or what was left of it after half of their number were slaughtered by Chiss terrorists who had taken her hostage, Aster was pushed towards the school in a wheelchair. It was a bit of an inconvenience but it hurt to put pressure on her leg which had been shot during her captivity in Miasma.

Though she held no animosity towards the Chiss, she could not help but feel a sense of discomfort when in their company. Their crimson, pupilless eyes had haunted her dreams almost as if they were mocking her after the recent incident. In short, they scared her.

Breathe in. Breath out. Aster repeated mentally almost like a mantra. Unlike in the past, she did not decide to visit the Chiss children because she had desired to see them but to prove to those within the Iron Empire that she held no ill will against the Chiss after the traumatic incident. As a representative of the imperial family, she was duty-bound.

With her hair was tied up in an intricate ponytail - her preferred hairstyle - and dressed in a long, baby blue dress concealed by her heavy white coat adorned with the Baelor family crest over her heart and a pair of matching shoes, Aster sat almost doll-like in her wheelchair. She needed to stay strong. Filled with the resolve to perform her duties well and unwilling to allow her anxiety to get the best of her, the teenager brushed a few strands of her platinum blonde hair behind her ear as she was pushed into the school.

"Miss Ayla?" the young princess knocked on the open door of the hooded teacher's classroom. "I am Aster Rose Baelor," she introduced herself with a sheepish smile, her heart palpitating.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

If the lack of blue skin wasn't an immediate giveaway that 'Ayla' wasn't Chiss, it would become readily apparent to [member="Aster Rose Baelor"] as the Miraluka turned her head to 'look' at her. She offered a small, practiced smile to the young woman, quickly taking in everything she could. There was a certain glow to the teenager, betraying the fact that she was at least somewhat trained, possibly superficially, in the force. Of course, it also told her that she was human, or at the very least she was extremely similar to one. Naturally, she was made somewhat, nervous. She wasn't so far removed from galactic events to be unaware of who Baelor was, though she was unaware of recent events in the woman's life.

The wheelchair was a surprise, but not something she couldn't deal with. She stood up from behind her desk, and offered a slight bow. "Greetings, Miss Baelor, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Perfect, not a beat was missed. She hadn't missed a single second between being greeted under her pseudonym and offering her reply, nor did she lose the respectful demeanor of a school teacher. She'd been getting good at playing this role, to say the least of how well she was preforming.

Her locker was behind her at this point, she couldn't move to it without being suspicious. She had to hope the visit was either momentary, or benevolent. Or for enough time to pass for her to be able to make her way back.

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Aster almost breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed Miss Ayla was not a Chiss but a Miraluka. The trauma of her kidnapping was still fresh.

"I do not know if you have been informed since this visit was on such short notice, but I have come to pay your class a visit," she spoke with a hint of nervousness in her tone. "Since the children are outside, will you introduce me to them?" she smiled insincerely with a tinge of fear in her eyes.

Though the teenager loathed to admit it, she did not want to meet the children, however, such was her duty. She needed to show the Chiss that she held no ill will towards them after the incident and this was the first step on that path.

"Mykie, you stay with me and push my wheelchair," Aster said, turning towards the warriors of the Wolfsglaive who surrounded her. "Everyone else, patrol the perimeter. I have no desire to scare the children," she ordered her guards.

"Understood," the group replied in unison and dispersed to carry out their orders. Although they were reluctant to leave their charge, they had little choice. After all, they had no desire to frighten the children.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

It was a shame Caelag couldn't see the fear in Aster's eyes, as it was she could only just barely tell there was something off with her smile. And even that hint was mostly there from her voice, which couldn't hide her nervousness at all. Still, everyone had their reasons to be afraid, after all her company of guards seemed rather small, considering who she was. Perhaps something had happened to reduce their numbers drastically. Whatever the case was, if Aster wanted to, or felt the need to, meet the children then it was simple enough to do.

"Of course Miss Baelor, the children are out playing and having their midday meal at the moment, but they should be returning soon. If you don't mind waiting outside, we can meet them by the door." Well, that and it might be smart to give her the fresh air. Nothing quite soothed unease like sunlight and cool air after all. Without waiting for Aster and Mykie (what a curious name) to leave, Caelag turned slowly and walked back to her private locker. Putting in the combination, she opened it so the door would prevent the others from peering in.

Of course pressed slightly against the back was her beloved weapon, but she wasn't collecting it just yet. Instead, she seemed to rummage through until she found something very different, her first aid kit. Usually these would be kept in easy to find locations but, just glancing at the quality of the kit, you could tell it was something a little closer to what a field medic might have on a battlefield. With this in hand, Caelag locked her locker again, and proceeded to head outside, with or without the princess.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Thankful for Miss Ayla's suggestion, Aster nodded.

"In that case, I will meet you outside," she said dismissing herself and gestured at Mykie to push her out of the classroom and into the hallway.

"Schools are such interesting places aren't they?" the blonde remarked as her wheelchair was pushed down the empty corridor and towards the building's entrance.

"Not really," Mykie replied honestly. "There is nothing really special about schools - I was never terribly fond of it. In fact, I left as soon as I was able to," she added. "School was never for me."

"I see." Aster replied simply and breathed in a breath of fresh air as the pair emerged from the school building. The crisp, cold air outside was refreshing.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

It didn't take long for Caelag to come outside, carrying the large medic's kit out along with her. She gave Aster a small smile and nod, as she set the kit down next to the door. It was a rare day that none of the students, young as they were, would come back without any cuts or scrapes. She had to expect fully to be bandaging a few of them up, though it was never a serious thing. "Apologies for the delay, it takes some time to get the first aid kit out."

Given the size and quality, it took little to guess why. It took even less time for her to be opening it, as the first set of her students began to return. A number had little scrapes from rough play, which she went about tending to with trained hands, applying little salves and wrapping the scrapes up. Naturally the majority of students returning were chiss, which was to be expected given their location. "Kids, this is Miss Baelor, she's come to visit us. How do we greet visitors?" The class seemed more than delighted, overall anyways, to wave and give their chorus of 'Hello Miss Baelor.' A few were clearly more shy than others, but they seemed more than happy to have a visitor.

Perhaps it was scarier for the princess that the children were excited to see her and introduce themselves, as the class began to slowly come to full sized as they decided to stay out by the visitor instead of going to their classroom. And Caelag was more occupied taking care of their little cuts than ushering them inside.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"No need to apologise," Aster returned Miss Ayla's smile and glanced at the first aid kit the teacher had brought with her.

Do your duty, the teenage princess reminded herself as she watched the first set of blue-skinned chiss children with their frightening red eyes made their way towards the entrance of the building. "Kids, this is Miss Baelor, she's come to visit us. How do we greet visitors?" Miss Ayla said, introducing her to the children to which the children responded with delight, friendly waves and a chorus of "Hello Miss Baelor."

Overwhelmed by the children, the blonde forced herself to put on a smile she had practised many a time in the mirror for situations like these. "Hello children," she maintained her smile and responded with a wave of her own. Even if this experience was stressful for her, she must persevere and carry out her duties. She needed to show her uncle that she was deserving of her rank of princess and her adopted surname of Baelor.

"How are we all today?" she pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and asked the children, adrenalin pumping through her veins.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

Even Caelag had to admit the various replies of the children, most simply put as 'very well' in what felt like a thousand different ways of saying it, was quite difficult to listen to. Even so, she couldn't help but smile as the children gleefully began to do what all young children were wont to do, and began to ask question after question.

"Is it true you're a princess? Do you live in a palace? Do you have servants? Why are you in a chair? Who's that behind you? What..." It was almost never ending, they didn't even give her time to answer one question before another would be presented. Over and over, even to the point that the clearly patient Caelag had to stand up and clap her hands to get their attention.

"Kids please don't overwhelm her! Please give her time to think and reply before you ask another question!" They only gave half hearted replies of 'yes Miss Ayla' before again asking their questions, this time letting [member="Aster Rose Baelor"] have time to answer before going on. By the time she could answer each she felt comfortable answering, Caelag had finished bandaging up the last child and closed the kit.

"Well, perhaps we should continue our visit inside, as lovely as it is out." She gave a nod and motioned the kids, and Aster, to follow behind her as they returned to the class. Naturally, Caelag returned to the room well ahead of the others, to put the first aid kit away in her locker. She had practiced fingers to open the doors to her locker as swiftly as she did, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching as she opened it, revealing for several moments the weapon hidden inside as she put it away.

Locked and sealed, she returned to the door as the children and Aster would be able to return.

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Aster opened her mouth to answer the children's questions, however, before she was able to give an answer to one, another was asked, then another, and another. Filled with curiosity, the children assaulted her with a barrage of questions.

"Kids please don't overwhelm her! Please give her time to think and reply before you ask another question!" Miss Ayla interceeded, many questions the children had directed at the teenage princess. Though Aster could sense the children's disappointment in their half-hearted replied to their teacher, she was thankful to the woman and shot her a grateful smile.

"Yes, I am," Aster replied feeling a little odd. Although she knew she was a princess, she rarely thought of herself as one. To her, it was a title that she needed to earn and until that happened, it did not feel right to be addressed by that title but she obliged because of the children. "And yes, I do live in a palace - the House Palace on Csilla with my uncle. I did not use to live there before but I was...injured in an incident that has made me wheelchair bound for the time being..." her voice trailed off as she remembered her kidnapping and she forced a smile she had practised many times before for situations such as these.

Sensing her mistress' distress, Mykie stepped in, allowing the princess a short break and introduced herself. "I'm Mykie, the princess' personal guard," she said and smiled softly. "I protect her from anyone and anything that might harm her."
"Well, perhaps we should continue our visit inside, as lovely as it is out." Miss Ayla announced with a nod of her head then motioned for the group to follow her back to the classroom.

Thankful for the brief moment of peace this offered her, Aster watched and waited for all the children to enter the building before she gestured at Mykie to push her inside.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

Caelag smiled at the students as they took their seats, reminding them to behave themselves. She had to quickly go down the hall to the main office, and it wouldn't take terribly long. Even so, she had one of the other teachers that was open for the minute come in to 'sub', basically watching to make sure the other students didn't bombard the guest with more questions or otherwise misbehave. As the chiss teacher entered to watch over things, Caelag passed by Mykie and Aster, giving a quick bow of her head as she went to the office.

Naturally, things weren't going to go to plan, which was to say going down, collecting the supplies she realized she was short on, and return. On her way down, shortly after Aster and Mykie had entered the room behind the temporary sub, one of the Wolfsglaive stopped her. Caelag tried to pass by, but they wouldn't let her. Word had started to be passed around that 'Ayla' had a suspicious item in her locker, and shortly after entering Mykie would be receiving word herself.

IT didn't help that despite Caelag trying to politely ask to get by, the Wolfsglaive member grabbed her by the arm. Instinctively, Caelag's body moved without much thought, using her free arm to elbow the man in the throat and against the wall. She wasn't strong by any means, but merely the surprise would let her get things taken care of quickly. Another elbow, a knee or two, and within moments Caelag was standing in a little bit of shock. The Wolfsglaive member was sitting down, dazed from the surprise of it, and at least one other was coming around the corner. It was almost, almost obvious exactly what had happened.



Of course, not too far, roughly, say, entering orbit in a few minutes during the proceeding events, a small pirate vessel was exiting hyperspace. A crew of assorted pirates had come to, maybe not attack random towns, but in search of a rarer weapon rumour had it was on the planet. An old weapon that sold fairly well with collectors, an X-52 Wraith Infiltrator. It was hard to find many in functioning order, and those that worked could be sold for very lovely sums, especially if they were well cared for.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Obediently pushing her Mistress' wheelchair, Mykie followed the sub into the room as Miss Ayla passed the pair with a quick bow of her head. Although Mykie had as much Force sensitivity as a grain of sand, her senses honed by years of experience in the field sensed that there was something off about the teacher.

"Mykie," Haru's voice spoke over the com-link. "Be on your guard, we think Miss Ayla might have a suspicious item in her locker. We have yet to confirm the nature so move the princess out of the classroom but don't let on we know."

"Understood," the Mykie whispered into her earpiece, Haru's words confirming her suspicions. "Excuse me," the woman said drawing the sub's attention. "The princess is in need of the ladies room, please excuse us," she said, faking a smile.

The sub who had been focused on the class gave a pair a nod before turning back to the children.

"Leo, Evan, Haru subdue the teacher, Mykie, take the princess outside - Adam has been attacked," came a voice from the com-link.

"Understood," Mykie replied and pushed Aster out of the school as she had been ordered.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

Caelag's body was screaming at her to act, every defensive instinct she had was on fire. Grab the blaster, subdue the soldiers, make your escape. Quickly before they get closer... Her soldier's instincts were on absolute alert as the three soldiers ordered to subdue her began closing in, training weapons on her as they were no doubt practiced to do. This wasn't what she had wanted at all, but he'd touched her arm, she hadn't meant to...

She could tell Adam, the wolfsglaive she'd instinctively disabled, was fine, he still resonated with life after all. But she couldn't be taken in, if they found out her secret, well honestly she wouldn't know what they'd do but she knew full well there'd be something. So she slowly backed away from Adam, pretending to be unaware of the others calling to her. She just had to move slightly back... closer to a window. They opened to the side, which meant if she could just feel it...

There. In a fluid motion, Caelag opened the window and rolled out of it, onto the ground outside, with the windowsill between her and the three that had gone to grab her. Caelag was an infiltration specialist, knowing how to escape a building with ease was her MO... still she had to move quickly enough to get away. More so for the sake of the children, not wanting them to see her arrested or anything of the like.

What she didn't expect was to run into view of Mykie and the Princess. Immediately she could feel the tension, like Mykie was just going to gun her down then and there, which prompted Caelag to hold her hands up as a sign of peace. "W-What's going on Princess? Your soldiers tried to grab me.." She tried to play it off a bit, as if she was an innocent teacher still.

- Pirate POV -

The crew landed quite a ways away from the town, deciding to send out scouts to find the most likely spot for the weapon rather than burn everything to the ground. This close to Iron Empire territory they couldn't be too hasty. Even so, there was a sense of haste in their search, it would only be a matter of time until a scout came by the school to find the strange situation brought on by the Wolfsglaive and Caelag.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Mykie frowned as she stepped in front of Aster creating a barrier between the princess and Miss Ayla. "That is because you have been identified as suspicious, Miss Ayla," she growled at the blindfolded woman. "What is it you are hiding?" she continued as she conjured up a fireball in the palm of her hand. "This is your first and last chance to answer me."

"Target spotted, discreetly surround her. Don't let Miss Ayla escape," a voice ordered over the Wolfsglaive's encrypted channel.

"Understood," the men acknowledged the order in unison and made their way to encircle the suspicious woman like a pack of wolves hunting prey.

"What are you talking about Mykie?" Aster asked the woman standing protectively in front of her with a firm tone.

"We have information that Miss Ayla over there has a suspicious item in her locker," Mykie replied, her emerald green eyes glaring at the woman.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

Caelag felt trapped more than ever... and she'd been held at gunpoint more than once. But she could sense movement all around her, and she didn't even have a knife to help defend herself with if one of them chose to attack her. She just prayed the kids were being good for once and paying attention to their substitute teacher instead of looking out the windows. She didn't want their little hearts to break.

"It's a momento, of my family... something to remember my late mother by. Please, I won't run just, can we not do this where the children might see? They've been through so much the last few decades, I don't want their hearts to hurt watching this." She wasn't lying, at least not entirely, about the memento bit. In some ways, her rifle was a memento. And her voice sounded entirely genuine about the children bit. If for no other reason, she hoped Mykie would stand down enough to not frighten them.

- Pirate POV -

It wasn't long for the pirates to locate the school, with the incredibly suspicious confrontation going on outside. They listened in to what Mykie said, about something suspicious in one of the lockers. The scout grinned a wide, toothy grin, and left to report back to their captain. By now the entire pirate force, about thirty or so strong, would be preparing to march on the school, quick and violent like.

ETA: Eh, we'll say two more of my posts.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"Very well," Mykie nodded and dispersed the ball of fire she had conjured up in her palm. "Cuff her and take her away."

"Wait," Aster interjected. "At least let her say goodbye to the children first," she said sensing Miss Ayla's affection for the children.

"But pri-" Mykie began to protest, her dislike for the teacher evident in her voice. Though it seemed like the woman was telling the truth, there was still something off about her.

"This is an order," Aster frowned and spoke in a firm tone.

"Very well," Mykie relented with an annoyed sigh. "Let her say-," she paused as a sense of impending danger hit her.

"Miss Ayla," she turned to the teacher. "Aside from the princess' visit, is the school expecting any other visitors today. I can sense another group a distance from us."

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

"No.. no we aren't." There was an undeniable sense of dread in Caelag's voice, as she slowly became attuned to the same feeling that Mykie felt. It took longer, given her lack of training, but it wasn't terribly hard for a force sensitive to feel. Something dangerous was happening. She took a breath and moved her hands in front of her chest, clasping them together as if in prayer. "Princess, guards, I need you to trust me for just five minutes." She turned on her heels and ran inside, slowing only at the classroom.

With a swift word to the substitute teacher, she had the children taken to a lockdown room, designed specifically for the event that they needed to hide away, and moved over to her locker. The combo was in, and this time she hardly cared who saw. She reached in, strapping belts to her body and sliding in power packs for her rifle, before un strapping it from the wall and lifting the massive thing out. Taking another breath, she went outside where Mykie and the Princess were.

"We need to protect the children, that means they cannot get inside. You wanted to know what was in the locker, you know now. Now I ask you again to trust me for just five minutes, I don't want harm to come to the children, and I have a suspicion what they might be after if they're coming here.."

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"You. Follow her," Mykie ordered one of the Wolfsglaive as Miss Ayla rushed back into the school.

"Understood," he nodded and followed the teacher. Silent and maybe even a little intimidating, he watched as the woman did what she needed to. Though he did not trust the woman, he had no intention of interfering unless her actions might cause harm to another - namely the other staff or students of the school.

"Princess," Mykie turned to the blonde teenager, "I'm going have someone bring you somewhere safe," she frowned sensing the pirates' approach.

"No," Aster shook her head. "Use me as bait. So long as I'm here and they know that I'm here, I will be a more attractive target than the children," she trembled as she spoke. Although she had not yet recovered from the trauma of her kidnapping, her desire to protect the children was much stronger.

"No," Mykie placed her hand on princess' shoulder. "The Emperor nearly lost you once, he would not appreciate a repeat of the previous incident."

"It will not happen. I believe in the Wolfsglaive so please, believe in yourselves too," Aster stared at the woman with determined eyes.

"We need to protect the children, that means they cannot get inside. You wanted to know what was in the locker, you know now. Now I ask you again to trust me for just five minutes, I don't want harm to come to the children, and I have a suspicion what they might be after if they're coming here.." Miss Ayla spoke, seemingly unknowingly disturbing the conversation between the princess and her bodyguard.

"Miss Ayla," Aster called to the woman. "I suggest we use me as bait for the pirates so their attention will be diverted away from the children," she said before Mykie could react.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

Caelag hummed, looking at [member="Aster Rose Baelor"] in thought. She was... right. It would work. While it took little effort for her to think that the pirates were there for a collector's weapon to sell, or use the prize of the princess would be very tempting indeed. Yet, the princess was in a wheelchair, helpless if she were to be removed from it perhaps. She could tell as much from the figure's sitting this entire time... the deadness of the chair. She couldn't willingly put someone like that in harms way, and she certainly couldn't do it when they held importance to the area's stability.

Her duty was clear. She took a breathe, and sighed gently as she approached.. "... No. I cannot abide putting anyone so genuine into harm's way. You have to trust me Miss Baelor, if you had legs perhaps I could suggest you hide on the second floor, and wait out the storm as a target they'd have to fight a gauntlet to arrive to. But given your state I cannot in good conscious even suggest such a sound plan as that, which would be no different than you hiding as the children are."

She turned her head to Mykie and gave a curt nod. "Take her somewhere safe. You can arrest me after we deal with the incoming dangers, if I survive. I swear it on my mother's grave."

The schoolteacher walked past Mykie, lifting the massive rifle to her shoulder as if aiming down the sights, and focusing her force senses in that one, singular direction. She became blind to Mykie, to the others, as she adjusted her aim, 1,800 meters down the way, past bushes and foliage that could easily hide pirate scum. And at this range, 6 times the range of the standard E-11 blaster rifle, she found the first man leading the way, the scout.

"And Corporal Caelag Vass of the Galactic Republic never takes her mother's sacrifice in vain." The shot rang out, the distinctive, sharp sound of the X-52 echoing in the air as the powerful bolt of super charged gas raced down, past trees, branches, folaige, and landed in the middle of the first pirate's chest, dropping him instantly.

The pirates began to fire wildly a few moments, having no hope of hitting at this range even if the bolts would survive that long, though the sounds of their fire was evident in the air. "Would you mind lending me a pistol.. Miss Mykie?"

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"I've been in genuine harm's way - don't underestimate me," Aster frowned and stood up unsteadily. Although her leg had been completely healed with not a scar in sight, the doctor had ordered she rest while she recovered from the physical toll the kidnapping had taken on her. "I am no invalid," she frowned. "Let me help."

"Let's go, princess," Mykie acknowledge Miss Ayla's words with a nod and forced Aster back into her wheelchair then began to push the blonde-haired teenager away.

"No," Aster said stood up from the moving wheelchair, nearly falling over as Mykie stopped.

"It's dangerous." her bodyguard insisted.

"Yes, but it is my duty as a Baelor to help," Aster maintained her frown. "Unless I am tied and gagged, I will draw the pirates' attention to me. So, if you do not plan on doing such, let me be the bait," her eyes were filled with determination as she spoke.

"Fine," Mykie relented after a minute of silence. Unbeknownst to Aster the bodyguard had no intention of allowing the princess to use herself as bait. Instead, the woman had planned to play along while keeping her charge safe. "We're going to use the princess as bait," she declared pushing the blonde-haired girl back much to the surprise to the Wolfsglaive as the teacher fired a shot at the pirates.

"Not at all," she replied handed Miss Ayla the pistol that hung at her waist. Though she was still suspicious of the woman, a bigger threat threatened the princess' safety. "Before I can allow you be used as bait, I need you to learn how to form a Force barrier." she said, crouching beside Aster.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​