Private Humbarine First

[Cordé Sabo]

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TASK FORCE NULL OPERATOR
D U L C E T
CORUSCANT | SIA HEADQUARTERS | DEBRIEFING ROOM
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At least she’d had the wherewithal to set an alarm.

She didn’t remember setting it. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was thinking how much she liked the way Sion’s eyes gleamed through Coruscant’s night lights, and the way his gentle smile curved through the shadowed stripes of her blinds. He had the same smile in the daylight, soft and sleepy, with his head tilted back.

It didn’t matter how gingerly she tried to peel herself from their tangle, the noise from the alarm was enough for the whole floor to shake awake. And while it was an abrupt start, he didn’t seem bothered. Just happy to be there.

It was the kind of morning Cordé would have liked to get used to. The kind of morning, albeit a bit more rushed, that she’d think about through lonely nights. It was nice to start the day with a kiss goodbye and know that this time it wouldn’t be the last. She promised as much, and he’d laughed.

That knowledge, and that feeling, stuck with her all through the speeder-ride to SIA Headquarters. She parked her bike with a few minutes to spare ahead of the debriefing, and only before she walked through the doors did she make a conscious effort not to grin stupidly.

It was easy to remember not to smile when she reflected on why she was here. To recount her experience losing her entire team and failing her mission on Exegol. Her mirth slid away.

She checked in with the front desk, was told she was expected, and nodded.

“Oh, also, Agent Lucky from Task Force Null, can you forward to me which infirmary she’s in?” She hadn’t received any update from Verin, which was expected, but regardless of what she’d witnessed on Exegol, Verin was still her friend. Cordé had promised her that.

It was just a little more complicated now.

The receptionist was hesitant, but with a few more security clearances presented, she relented and Cordé held the information in her datapad. Hastily, she thumbed an order to Verin’s room, promised to check on her, and signed a digital card for the flowers she ordered.

Hopefully, given Verin’s apparent green thumb, the flowers weren’t offensive. Maybe Cordé should have sent a — yes. She backspaced, cancelled the order of florals, and opted instead of an edible arrangement. She signed the card differently:

‘Thought flowers might be insensitive. Glad you’re not dead.
X Cordé’

She pocketed the datapad, straightened out her uniform, and prepared to walk in to the Director for the standard briefing.

Inside, the room had everything as expected.

Everything except for….

“Mo—” The title hopped out, and she stammered for a moment while the door whooshed closed behind her. As hastily as she could, she corrected herself and regained her composure, though her eyes moved to look anywhere from the shape of the woman that was not The Director. “—st surprising to see you." She bowed at the waist. "Your highness.”

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Arage Bao
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[Arage Bao]

Cordé Sabo

She was sitting in the Director seat.

One leg crossed over the other.

And when her daughter entered the room Arage Bao, Lord Admiral of the Humbarine Reach and Queen of Kuat, looked up from her datapad with something akin to affection. It was gone almost as sudden as it appeared. But it had been there for just a moment. "The Director was a darling and allowed me the benefit of conducting your debriefing personally."

The fact she was allowed to sit in M's chair signified their working relationship.

It was almost the same as allowing the Chiss to sit on her throne. Almost. But over the past decade the two of them had bonded over a number of things and there were few people in this Galaxy that Arage trusted more than the Director. That meant something.

"Exegol then. Start from the beginning, Agent Dulcet." And she rose up, all grace and sharp refinement, and began to circle around Cordé. Taking in the sight of her daughter and how she looked. Not any worse for wear. A bit rough around the edges, but one could expect that when she traveled into the wolf's den and beyond.

As Cordé explained Arage surveilled the room.

Locking the door, closing the blinders, checking to see if the hidden cameras were disabled as promised. They were. M truly was a darling.

Until Cordé's tale was done and Arage could step towards her. Hand gently on her shoulder and squeezing. "And how are you?" Murmured softly as the dispassionate dictator looked down at her progeny. "I would never take you away from an assignment you choose yourself... but believe me. I was tempted when I heard of it, daughter mine."

That would presumably come as a shock to Cordé.

Her status as Arage Bao's daughter was a closely-held secret. Especially in the place she infiltrated for her.

"It's quite alright. The Director knows. We have an understanding. I keep her secrets... and she keeps mine." And there she'd gently tug her in for a hug.

"It's been too long, Corrie."

 

[Cordé Sabo]

It was all very disorienting, and for the start of Arage Bao 's movements, Cordé watched her. Her head was swimming, and she hadn't realized how long it had been until she was back in the room with the woman that had raised her.

But charade or not, there was some level of duty required, and when Arage asked Cordé spoke. She felt a click in her heart, like comprehension, and rose to the occasion. Moment for moment, she recounted Exegol. The atmospheric disaster that had torn heads from in front of her, the sudden death of four agents and she was helpless to assist. Her duty as a medic, failed, except for Agent Lucky.

Cordé skirted over the details about Agent Lucky, and instead spent time leaning into the complexities of the Maw's planetary defense protocol.

At the end of it, she was breathless. The cadence of her delivery had fluctuated. Held and gushed, like water pipes that were aching to burst. For most of the retelling, she'd looked straight ahead. Like a disassociated robot. Extra so when she had to admit that the outgoing message was not the SIA-approved one, and she'd only survived because of the Jedi's assistance.

With Arage's hand on her shoulder, dread welled up in her belly and swamped her heart. She had to swallow almost half a dozen times before she could speak, and her words were stopped even moreso by the sound of surprise that hopped from her mouth.

It wasn't like her mother to be so careless with her affection, everything the Admiral did was precise. Intentional.

Realization dawned and broadened through her eyes, and at the childhood moniker, the levy that had kept her upset secure cracked.

"Mom." She croaked, and gripped at her hug. Shamelessly burying her face into the woman's shoulder. Maybe it would crinkle the uniform.

"It was awful." She admitted, "Fething helpless." Cordé pulled back, sniffed, and rubbed her hands to her face.

"I missed you." Red-eyed, she took a moment to appreciate the powerhouse her mother was. And how she too had survived. And that nobody seemed to be hunting her down yet. "I miss you. What happened to you over there? I heard Lightpoint was incredible. It's all any of the nurses could talk about.

Was it what you wanted?"