Hope

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Rick Kaloo"]

It seemed soon to be looking at the make-up of the fleet and potential upgrades, but right now they needed more warships available to increase defences and shore up the border. Nemo Tan, the Mon Calamari in command of the GADF was present. He looked up at the new arrival.

"Welcome Kaloo," he said before looking down at a datapad and tapping at it. "Apologies if we seem distracted, we have a great deal to do right now. But please, sit, let's talk."

Jacen was sat at the oval table, garbed in his Jedi robes. The hologram in the middle of the table was switched off. It had been showing fleet movements, but that couldn't be on display with a civilian in the room. "Could we get you something to drink?" the Jedi Marshal offered. Even in the worst of times, there was a place for manners.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

He sighed. She had reminded him of a reality that he didn't exactly have absolute freedom to choose where he went and when. The shoulder bump helped a lot. Such a small gesture to change his expression to a brave smile. He bumped her back before leaning back until his hands where on the grass behind him and he was looking at the sky.

Trextan was in some ways like his father had been. At times bold and brash. But his lessons had come earlier than his father's, his soul was bruised and battered. It wasn't easy to accept that people looked on him favourably; it seemed to him as if he'd been abandoned or - in the case of the sith - just used through his childhood. Taheera had reminded him that he wasn't the only one in the war torn galaxy with an interesting past.

He managed to hold back a laugh. It had actually been the Rogue pilot who'd suggested that it wasn't usual for a medic to come and sneak a patient pudding.

It didn't feel like the time to ask. It felt like the time to do something. "Feth it, let's go see if any of them are around."

 

[Rick Kaloo]

He walked in the command room to be greeted by another Mon Calamari. After the Calamari spoke, he replied, "It is a pleasure to meet you. It will be a busy day, so better to start now."

He walked over to an oval table, leaving the other Mon Calamari with him to wander around the room. He sat down and waited for a minute, before he said, "I have been considering this for a couple years, but I have finally came to make up my mind. Especially after that Mustafar battle, I have felt bad for the Alliance. So, I will have Ne-Cal Military Space Engineering join the Alliance and her allies. I feel that it is the best I can do. Unlike other buisnessmen, I care for the good of the people using our products, and always get our ship materials from local sources."

He took a deep breath. "So I would agree to Ne-Cal Military Space Engineering joining the Galactic Alliance. You will have access to all our products, and we will turn up more. In return, you will protect our facilities."

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Rick Kaloo"]

"It's scientists, engineers and corporate leaders like yourself that have always kept the Light in the battle," Jacen replied. Everyone knew their history and how imperial defectors were vital to keeping the Alliance supplier when the Empire ruled the Galaxy.

"How many locations and where?" He asked.

 

[Rick Kaloo]

"We are a humble company. We have a main production facility on Mon Calamari, and that is where most of our designs are made. It is our only location, but it is large enough to make frigates. As the company expands, so will our bases and capacity. With people like you supporting us, it will be a quick expansion."

He had always known that the Jedi were that supportive, always keeping the peace and protecting the people. In return, he would help their ally.

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

Chestnut-brows shot up in surprise. She'd expected to go off alone and make this work. She certainly hadn't expected him to partner with her in this endeavor. The mirialan was glad to have a friend and ally, as long as it lasted. Who knew if other obligations would call Trex away?

"Okay," she finally managed, wrangling in her surprised expression. The handful of grass in her palm suddenly opened over Trex's form. Maybe the empath picked up a bit on his lighter attitude and she offered the gesture in return. She popped to her feet before any retaliation could occur. Green palm outstretched toward the teenager.

"C'mon. Now's not the time to nap on the job."

The corners of her lips twitched, just a little.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Rick Kaloo"]

The Mon calamari in command of the GADF replied this time. "Our world is in Silver Jedi space and under their protection. We have a base near the sector but that's the far side of the galaxy, we can't dedicate any more forces than we already have to that region. That said, i hope we can still do business."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

"Oi!" He protested, but she'd moved away before he could respond with a similar attack. There was a lopsided start of a smile when he looked up at her hand. His eyes traced a path up the arm until he reached her myrtle eyes.

Trextan had needed to vent and to find a little spark to brighten the day. He'd needed that when his father had brought him to a possessed droid factory to get him away from the temple and again when he'd been grievously wounded on Kaeshana. Each time Taheera had been there for him.

His eyes lingered a moment longer than was necessary before he took the hand and drew himself up to his feet. He brushed down the pieces of grass still on his battle-stained robe.

"Barkesh regiments had a green and red bar with a purple stripe on the shoulder," he said.

 

[Rick Kaloo]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

"No need to worry." he replied. "We are working on making ships able to defend our own facilities and guard our projects, so soon we will not need help. We can do business together, even in war. I'm sure our corvettes and frigates can defend our space long enough for assistance to come."

After all, he knew there were other companies in Mon Calamari who wouldn't want some invaders just barging in.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

She felt his gaze and if she hadn't been so mission minded and battling her own ghosts of grief and failure, it might've given her pause. Instead, she managed to keep the spark of mischief from lingering in her mossy depths as she watched him brush those last strands of grass off the fabric of his clothes. She nodded and began slide-stepping down the knoll.

"Right. Green, red, and purple stripes," eyes broke away from Trex's face, settling on the bustle of activity just below. The empath-healer picked up on waves of emotions that matched her own with undertones of hope within the eddies of weariness. Silently, she tuned it out. Head swiveled, searching. Near a supply of ship fuel, she paused and squinted, seeing that flash of purple on a man's uniform with a salt and peppered beard. He was helping to unload. Green-hand came out and gently took hold of Trex's arm to get his attention. Her other hand pointed the man out.

"There. He might be our best bet."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Trextan gave a nod and headed on down towards the man. He had no plan at all but he wasn't about to back down from a plan in front of Taheera. He had his father's tendancy to rise up to challenges out in front of him. It had put Jacen into lots of trouble in his youth.

"Excuse me?"

The man looked over and gave them a curious look up and down before recognising Jedi. "Yes?"

"We're looking to head back to Barkesh and try and get in touch with anyone left that wants to help in some way."

"Alright," the man replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "What are you after?"

"Either a guide, someone who might be able to help us get in touch with any local regiments or information on where to..."

"My Major you'll need to go through him."

"But..."

"Major Dennings." That was that apparently that because the man walked away. Trextan had been about to look to Taheera to do something when a much younger man rounded the fuel tank. He had a Barkesh patch as well.

He looked from side to side and and said: "what do you need?"

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

"We need you," she stepped forward quickly, tucking strands of chestnut hair behind her ears, steadily holding the young man's gaze. They needed someone to break the rules and not ask a lot of questions. A volunteer. Because it seemed like all three of them knew what command would have to say over a brash mission like this.

Eyes flickered to Trex and back.

"We want to go back to Barkesh and set up a resistance or underground for the alliance. Maybe set up a network to help those we left behind and evacuate others that wish to leave."

Of course, it went beyond that too. They needed to find other alliance Loyal members who might even stay as spies. Something like that.

"This would be a volunteer only mission," she hesitated. "And any chance you know how to fly?"

He frowned and gave another cautionary look around him. Just as quickly, he broke into a wide smile. "I'm in. Name's Riggs. As long as my superiors don't find out, we should be good."

He eyed Trex a moment, as if calculating whether he'd be safer with Voidstalker's son in on this or worse off. A thumb hooked behind his shoulder. "There's a small transport on pad five with a few supplies. Don't think a lot of people would miss it with all the new folks coming in. Come on."

He gave Taheera a wink.

"Just so happens I'm an excellent pilot, too."

A little flirting.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Alright, steady on there... Trextan thought to himself at that bold wink. His perceptions were a little skewed, he realised. Because of his rank he had started to think of the man as young, but actually he was probably a few years his elder.

People often respected the title of Jedi Knight, but Jacen kept telling him it was something to earn. There was always a balance between his age and position he had found. The soldiers of the Scarred would swing between treating him like a powerful Jedi and a kid to be teased.

"Do you know where any soldiers left would have gone into hiding though?" He asked. "Taheera is an empath who can probably help us track them down, but we need somewhere to start."

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

Riggs scratched his chin and stared at the Mirialan for a moment longer. It was clear he'd never really heard of or met an empath before. The healer mostly ignored his eyes, stepping up the small ramp of the transport.

"Yeah. There's an outpost along one of the canyon towns that offers some complex cave systems. Seems like a place a I'd go if I'd been left. We can start there."

Taheera knelt by one of the crates stacked up in the hold of the shuttle. "Do you have an inventory of supplies?" She wanted to make sure they had enough healing supplies because she was betting a lot of the soldiers left behind would be injured.

"Yup," he tossed her his comm. "Don't mind my number in there, either," he offered one last cocky grin and made his way to the cockpit. "Strap in. Might be a little rough on take-off."

Eyes rolled but she caught something in the pilot's gaze as he went to the cockpit. Was he....yeah he was. He totally checked out Trex's butt.

 

[Kira Vaal]

She hadn’t been on Mustafar.

It was a curse of a thought that had plagued her continuously since she had received the news, too late, that the First Order had launched their offensive a swept through the sector demolishing the Alliance presence as they did.
Where had she been? The backside of the galaxy, gaining support and keeping tabs on other threats beyond the apparent sealed threat of the First Order war machine. She had been too busy with her little band of rebels to even notice that her government was under attack.

Why was it such a bitter pill to swallow.

She had departed as soon as she could, the Falcon tearing through the galaxy until she had found herself caught up in the rallying calls coming from the Alliance forces on Karfeddion. It had been so long since she was last in Alliance space that it had taken several attempts to convince the ground crew of her clearance codes, but eventually they had given the green light and now the Millennium Falcon was sat amongst the green grass and Alliance ships.

For now it was time to find someone who was in charge, someone had to be calling the shots and Kira had full intent of letting them know that she was back to help in anyway she could.
If only the force could be used as a map?

“Deck officer? Deck officer!?”

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Rick Kaloo"]

"In which case," Nemo said, "I've reviewed what you've got on offer already and we'll be making an offer for a set quantity of vessels. This includes the option of you costing a training programme and maintenance options. I'm afraid, however, I'm going to have to let my subordinates manage to details. We've got an existing fleet to worry about getting back into the war now."


OOC/ confirmed as contract thread for company.

 

[Rick Kaloo]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

"I'm fine with your subordinates making the deal. We will pay partially for the training of your troops, and I will command a vessel for the name of the Alliance. I will serve in this war, as well as making new designs."

OOC: Got this thread on my rp tracker, will be ready to use it

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

Kaiden Rohn had been doing his own thing for a long time now. It was time for that to change. He pulled the slide back on his handgun, as he checked the cartridge. A round in the chamber. A smirk crept across his lips. Just needed fourteen for everyone else, and one for him if things went bad. He marched out of the hangar, clad in nothing but fatigues that marked him as a Sergeant.

His eyes danced around as a new ship landed. Flight crew ran to meet it. He crossed his arms as it landed. The flight crew began to do the landing procedures, while what he presumed to be the pilot screamed about something, but over the noise of the hangar, he couldn't hear. Rohn walked forward, before stepping in front of her. He hoped his appearance and bulk was enough to at least make her stop. He however, got the same feeling that he got from other Jedi. The heebie-jeebies of a force user. His finger twitched, ready to yank the handgun out of his shoulder and dump a magazine into her. A lot of good a lightsaber was against a slugthrower at this range.

A lot of Sith found that out the hard way.

"Who you looking for?"

The man had a distinct undercity Coruscanti accent. He was the typical tough guy- but because the woman was touched by the force, she could easily see through his facade of masculinity and toughness and see how fucked up he really was.

[member="Kira Vaal"]

 

[Kira Vaal]

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

She didn’t recognise any of these faces. It had been what? Month? Half a year? Since she had last stood in Alliance space, or maybe not that long. Ever since engaging the First Order on Kaeshana she had been forced more to the galactic east in pursuit of the rumours that the Imperial Remnant were flexing their expansion, but surely that had not kept her long enough to not recognise a single face.

She was stopped by a large formidable looking soldier. Clearly she wasn’t the only one who didn’t recognise people.

“Kira Vaal. SIS.” She gave a quick introduction in the attempt to calm his posture, which seemed to have no effect at all. “Just arrived in system, looking for someone, anyone to give some form of karking brief on the situation.” Many had preconceptions about Kira, when she had joined the Alliance in it’s infancy she was no more than a outer-rim scavenger, hunting relics and looking for a place to call home. Then Coruscant happened, the attack on the temple had seen so many deaths that were unnecessary and futile, yet it had forged her into something more fine-tuned for war, then Coruscant happened again, her actions allowing such masters as Merrill and Sedaire the chance to reforge the light nexus beneath the Sith pyramid and mark themselves on the fall of the One Sith. Then there had been Omega…

War had taken its toll.

“Can you help me or not?”