Private Collapse

[Iandre Athlea]

"AISHA!!!"

Waking up with a jolt, Iandre lay back down in bed. Sweating, shaking, and crying from the nightmare that brought her to her current state. Rolling onto her side, she clutched her knees to her chest and tried to shut out her memories. The betrayal of their clones, the people she had been closest to. They had murdered her master and would have done the same to her if she hadn't been hidden away.

As her tears dried, she noticed her datapad blinking with an alert. Reaching out, she picked it up and looked at the message. There had been a devastating earthquake on Mygeeto, and the residents there needed help with recovery, both in infrastructure and in their lives.

Laphisto requested that she gather her guard, investigate the damage, and send a report back to him. She was also to lend what aid she could until he was able to get supplies together and meet her there. With something to focus on, it was probably going to be better than lying in bed, dwelling on things she couldn't change or bring back.

Climbing out of bed, she showered and got dressed. Running a brush through her hair, she braided it as she usually did and went to wake up her friends and companions. These men who had been with her for almost a year, through training and several missions. Doing it quietly, she didn't want to wake up any of the other troops. After they had graduated, they each had their own rooms, which made getting them easier. Soon enough, the six of them were boarding their gunship and heading to Mygeeto.

This was a discovery and humanitarian mission, and Iandre hoped they wouldn't need their weapons. However, each of them brought them and, for the moment, sat in silence. Each with their thoughts. Remembering her dream, she thought about her past as they travelled through space. When they were on approach to Mygeeto, she stepped out of the cockpit and put her helmet on. Once again, falling into habit and keeping things hidden.

"Moose, take the lead. Everybody else is after me. Do we have any additional information, Night?"

Her men had roles they played, and Iandre didn't waste their skills.

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

The ground still groaned from the last tremor, the InterGalactic Banking Clan's fortress vaults stood untouched, armored, heated, and guarded. Inside the central spire of the complex three Muuns sat perched atop chairs that to Rellik looked like thrones. Drawing some slight ire from his eyes. Their necks craned like vultures as they leaned forward to speak to the Diarch.

MUUN 1: "Processing centers offline. Kilos of raw crystal inaccessible beneath glacial shift. And more importantly, large sections of funds to our interest-generating civic debt accounts are presently frozen due to the humanitarian lockdown."

MUUN 2: "This is UNACCEPTABLE" - Relliks eyes moved quickly to the man. As if the force of looking at him moved him to sit back down into his chair.

"I am aware," Rellik said, glancing to the tremor-map suspended behind them. The tectonic ruptures spidering through the lower strata pulsed in low red. "That is why I came in person. Remember the deal set in by Maldor Sancetti ." The last words were a clear threat. One Muun from the dealing between the Diarchy and IGBC had been assassinated post meeting for flaunting a slave boy infront of the Diarchs in a show of strength. The slave now living free in the Diarchy. The terms were simple. Join peacefully, have a say in the chancellorate. Or be invaded, subdued, ruled. "I am here to ensure stability, peace, and wealth."

Rellik took a step closer, just enough for the soft hum of his cloak to brush the frost-veined floor. "My engineers are already retrofitting the extraction shafts with buffers. Stability will return to your mines before nightfall. The shipments will resume transit within the cycle. I've requisitioned tunneling droids. And I will personally authorize the re-opening of freight tunnels once structural integrity is confirmed by my people"

His gaze sharpened, and so did his tone.

"The Lurmen settlements to the east were buried during the third quake. Their shelters are non-militarized, their medcenters non-existent. My forces will bring them aid first. Then we reopen your banking vaults."

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The Diarch's shuttle touched down amid a field of motion, relief crews already moving in practiced precision. Lilaste Order troops stood beside Diarchy troopers unloading medical crates, portable shelters, and structural scanners from armored transports. Droids swept the rubble with seismic readers.

The landing ramp hissed open.

Rellik emerged, eyes scanning the wreckage-strewn horizon. Behind him, aides and field officers began issuing reports, but he raised one gloved hand, silencing them. He noticed something special among all the chaos.

Iandre Athlea was already there and helping. Even beneath the helmet he could tell it was her. With a turn he told his advisors that he trusted them and to begin. They did not need approval for everything, they were trained and smart on their own.

He began making his way over to her.

 

[Iandre Athlea]

"Night, what information do you have?"

Listening to his report, she looked as another shuttle passed overhead. She wasn't ignoring her man at all, and Iandre learned where the most damage was and where they should provide the most help.

"Moose, you heard him. Each of you carry what you can. Shifter, keep us warm in case the ground under this decides to collapse as well. I do trust your landing ability. I just want to be careful."

Childs, Night, and Crash grabbed some emergency supplies they had, and Iandre made sure to grab some medical kits. The four of them were getting off their shuttle and starting to help when she sensed Rellik's approach. They had spent enough time together so that she could feel him.

Stopping in her tracks, she turned, and her men continued on their walk after Moose. She would catch up later, and she felt she would have Rellik along as company. As she was on duty and he was her commander in the field since Laphisto wasn't there. Giving him a salute, she lowered it after holding the position for a few seconds.

"Night has a report ready if you wish to look at it, Diarch."

Keeping her voice modulated through the helmet, she was still calm. She might have started her day poorly, but she wasn't going to let it show. Not until her duty was done here.

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Rellik came to a halt a few paces from her, returning the salute with a nod. "Thank you, Lady Athlea." To be fair, the Diarch was not entirely sure what Rank she held in the Lilaste order. Deciding to give her the honorary title of her name instead. Something he would need to look into later.

His gaze shifted momentarily to the three others moving ahead through the frost and fractured stone. Efficient. Coordinated. He approved silently.

Then his eyes came back to her.

He could feel it. Faint but present. Something muted behind the armor, a sense of sorrow or pain. When the hustle of the force slowed down and they could just be together for a moment, he would make sure she was okay.

For now, they were leaders and he would help with the efforts.

"Walk with me, I'll review the report as we go."

Although he worded it professionally his face couldn't hide how happy he was to see her.

"You will be much better company than the Muuns I dealt with this morning. They know or care for nothing but credits."

With the data pad in one hand and a box of goods in the other he waited for the two of them to head out towards the Lurmen settlement.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

As if he could read her mind, he asked her to walk with him. After her rough night, his solid presence was precisely what she needed. Some of the rotten feelings dissipated, but a slight darkness of depression might still cling to Iandre. One clear thing was that her fortitude to keep to her duty was stronger than her need to despair.

With him present, she smiled as she saw his face. Thankful to be wearing her helmet, it kept her face hidden and her expressions to herself. Then again, maybe it would be neat to share these with Rellik. In another place, she would. Not right now and not today. Duty came first, but this would give them the chance to work and be together. Something unexpected, and she allowed herself to feel happiness from it.

This, she did not even try to keep hidden from the Diarch. She wanted him to know she was happy to be with him, even if the situation was tragic.

"I think almost anybody would be better company than Muuns."

Walking close enough to touch, she maintained a professional demeanor, just as he did. She had what felt like two lives, and Rellik was seeing her once again with her armour on. As he had on the day they initially met. Granted, it wasn't the best day for him at the time. She hadn't let it change her opinion of him or even affect her first impression.

Tilting her head slightly as some additional reports came in from her men, she looked into the distance as she saw a puff of debris rise as some more aftershocks hit the area. Raising a hand, she pointed where she was looking.

"I think the other troops can take care of this area. We're needed there."

Issuing orders for Moose and the others following him, she waited for Rellik's final decision and orders.

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Rellik followed the motion of her hand, eyes narrowing as he watched the faint bloom of dust rise into the sky. Another shock had caused rippling effects.

His jaw tightened slightly, and the datapad in his hand flicked through seismic readings with a quick movement of his thumb. Nothing too deep for now but enough to worry him. There were still bodies under that ice. Still lives waiting on the edge of luck.

He gave a small nod.

"Agreed. We'll shift to that sector."

His tone was cool and calm but his steps were already turning, momentum carrying him toward the rising debris. His sense of urgency had obviously picked up at the sight before him. As he walked, he activated his comm directing Diarchy forces.

"Deploy rescue elements to the secondary zone I have just marked. I want heat-scanners and support crews rerouted now. The Ranking officer of the Lilaste and I are moving to reinforce the northern quadrant. Be ready to stablish a mobile triage unit there immediately just keep out of the disruption zone. I want rotating evacs done using the M.I.S.S.M.E.'s on my order. Just remember to keep a good distance."

A pause. He lowered the comm, eyes shifting toward her. A quiet understanding passed between them. A simple nod.

"I trust your judgment."

The machinery of command roared to life around them. Voices barked. Engines ignited. But somehow, amid the chaos, the space between them felt centered. A calm within the storm.

He sensed it again, just beneath the surface. Something tucked away, hidden behind the strength she wore.

Reaching down he gave her hand a quick squeeze. Then, with a soft smile. One less Diarch and more man, he tilted his head and spoke softly.

"Pardon me, I just wanted to make sure Lilaste armor protects against the cold." It was his first step into hopefully breaking into what was wrong without pressing her directly. Hoping to warm her heart.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

The two of them together would make a united front. Showing what the Lilaste Order and Diarchy could accomplish together. This thought made Iandre feel warm, and when Rellik picked up her hand, she returned the gentle squeeze with his comment about trusting her judgement, almost entirely washing away the darkness clinging to her. A small piece of that remained, and it likely would for a long while.

"Thank you, Diarch."

Nodding with a minuscule movement, they were close enough he wouldn't miss it.

"Shifter, come and get us. Take us to the new area."

After a few minutes, her gunship arrived to pick them up and take them to the new hot spot. They also stopped and picked up the others. Giving them an introduction, Iandre pointed to them as she said their names.

"Shifter is the one piloting. Moose is the big one; he's my strength. Childs is the youngest and the most diplomatic of the group. Night is my intelligence and information gatherer. Crash is still figuring things out, but he is NOT allowed to pilot anything. How do you think he got his name?"

As she spoke, some amusement filled her modulated tone, and he might know she was smiling under her helmet.

"How far out are we, Shifter?"

"Just moments! I'll land and make sure the ground is secure before letting you all off. Safe travels!"

They touched down, and the doors slid open to reveal the partially destroyed colony of Lurmen. She wasn't sure what kind of training Rellik had and grabbed his hand as she moved to jump out of the gunship.

"Stick with me and we can keep each other safe. I'm glad nobody is trying to kill us. Looks like there's a gathering over there. Men! Headout. Moose, you go first and see what support or supplies are needed. We're right behind you."

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Rellik listened carefully to each name as they were given, committing them to memory. He glanced toward the individuals as Iandre introduced them, his expression relaxed but attentive offering each a faint nod of respect.

"Well met," he said simply. "I'll try not to slow you down." - A small smirk forming on his lips, one that turned into a full smile and slight laugh at the comment about crash.

The gunship touched down in a spray of frost, and the cold bit into the cabin as the doors hissed open. Even from here, the damage was clear, splintered structures, collapsed walkways, and the aura of quiet destruction in the air. The Lurmen colony had not been built for war or weather like this. And the scars of the quake were still fresh.

As Iandre grabbed his hand and leapt from the gunship, he followed without hesitation, landing at her side.

He turned his eyes to the gathering of Lurmen ahead. A small group of them with elders stood beneath the remnants of a fallen archway, watching the new arrivals with wide, wary eyes. A few children peeked out from behind them. Most wore makeshift wrappings against the cold. Some had injuries. One limped.

His hand clenched slightly at his side. A heat rising in him in the force that gave way to the idea that Rellik was not above passion, yet it was focused on people not being in pain.

"While Moose finds out what they need," Rellik said with quiet confidence. "Let's make sure they know they're safe."

And with that, he began to move to comfort the people of the village.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

The gunship took off as soon as they had jumped off of it. Even if this ground seemed solid, Shifter knew just how treacherous earthquakes and their aftershocks could be. He would keep the ship in the air until Iandre and the others returned. Then he would land again and take them to where they were needed more. If they weren't required, then he would return to the fleet, but this type of destruction could take days or weeks to recover from fully. He nodded to the Diarch as they jumped, and he left.

As they walked together, she kept her hand within his. Her men would likely tease her mercilessly for the action, but Iandre didn't care. She felt his temper rise through the Force and squeezed his hand to try to have him focus on her. When he spoke, she felt her action had worked, and she nodded in agreement.

As Shifter had noticed, the ground wasn't entirely stable, and just as she put her foot down on the ground between them and the group they were heading to, it split open under her. With nary a second to think, she sent a focused Force blaster at Rellik to make sure he wasn't going to fall with her and then wrapped herself in a barrier to try to prevent any injury to herself.

She didn't fall too far, but when she crashed to the bottom, her barrier fell to pieces and one of her legs crumpled under her body. Letting out a deafening scream of pain, she did her best to calm down. If anybody were listening, they would hear quite a string of antiquated cursing coming from her helmet. This alone should reassure Rellik and her men that she was very much alive and in extreme pain.

Diarch Rellik