First Reply Closing a Chapter

[Ari Naldax]

Hutt Haven, Coruscant

Ari stared at the glass she'd just gulped the last swing of Alderaanian Ale from, questioning her future, what was to come. So this is it - half a decade here in the Alliance and now I'm back to the old life. She knew she'd done some good, at least, but the Major still couldn't help but think she'd wasted so many years in the Defence Forces, and if anything things were worse - what with the Alliance now being unable to even defend the deep core. Slamming the mug down and waving for another, her mind turned home. While she was here gallivanting as a hero of the Alliance - showing off her pretty starbird medal and flying the fighters she'd helped design - New Alderaan had fallen, yet again, to another horde of Imperials. And unlike the last time - when she'd fought valiantly but in vain to defend the world she'd been born on - their allies here in the Alliance stood silent. And they still won't give me my squadron.

Starting the next ale she went back over the days events - meeting with her commander to renew her commission had gone just about like it always had - up until she was slated to receive another training squadron, or otherwise be attached to some working group writing doctrine. She wasn't going to have any of that. Ari was a combat pilot - still young at that - and one of the best in the Galaxy. Her skills were wasted teaching dogfighting to nuggets and writing more recommendations that wouldn't even reach the brass. Hell, they were wasted fighting for a government that couldn't even protect its own territory. So she handed in her wings, turned over what wasn't hers, and walked away, taking only Keeper and her old NASF uniform.

As her thoughts swirled in her mind like the amber liquid in her mug, now half empty, she could hear the swoosh of the Tapcaf's door opening and closing. She could hope that whoever followed wasn't going to sit next to her - but as quiet as it was, she silently sighed and beckoned them to sit next to her. Maybe they can at least get my mind off this cluster...

 

[Relan Dredec]

Dirty streets.

Dirty places.

Dirty seats.

Dirty faces.

Dirty doors.

Dirty floors.

But clean food.

And dirty secrets.

SIA were not, despite what everyone thought, a conglomerate of black-ops agents and spies. They were, of course. But what they were mainly focused on, however, was not the mission. The mission was always there. As long as the Alliance existed, there'd be a mission. So the focus became less "mission" focused and more along the more important assets that the SIA had, or needed to have-

People.

And people like the young pilot sitting next to him, were rare. They were capable, willing, and in need of a new path. The SIA actively sought out more perfect candidates. That she was in such a prime recruitment spot- well. That was something else.

The Agent sat next to her, not speaking for a moment. He slid over his identification badge, the dreaded SIA logo. He slowly looked over at her when he got his caf-

He'd come to this place a lot, apparently. Two sugars and milk.

"Can we talk?" His voice was hoarse, and quiet. Deceiving of his violent capabilities.

Ari Naldax

 

[Ari Naldax]

Ari watched the stranger as he sat down next to her - eying him down with the piercing gaze of both a military officer and a security officer - there was nothing special about him, he was the perfect expression of a "grey man" - so nondescript that civilian wouldn't even notice him there. I know better than that. Her suspicions were confirmed with the man passed over his ident - Of course he's a spook.

"Only if you can be quick - and don't give me any cute dancing around words, I've had enough of the Alliance's games."

Her voice was curt - and he almost certainly could hear, even feel, the exasperation and annoyance in her voice. With all the influx of troops both from the front in the core, and from the frontiers, she'd heard whispers about the situation, and quite frankly she'd found it dire, nigh hopeless if the Alliance kept running things the way that it did.

Relan Dredec