You, Me and Trouble

[Rekha Kaarde]

She looked at him her eyes still rimmed red from the tears, her cheeks lightly pink, "Do I need something Coren....really? How long have you known me? Feth Coren I don't call anyone when I'm in trouble...I didn't want to call you...but I can't do this alone..and here I am spilling my guts to you and you're first reaction to me sounds like antiseptic. I need to hear something that..."

What did she need, "A hug, some kind of contact that says you're my friend that you really do understand that telling this. That telling YOU this just ripped my insides out." She knew she had a few drinks but she wasn't a lightweight born yesterday.

She was...a woman grown..and she had few friends...one of her closest sat by her.....and she felt alone.

"I don't know that I'm better than them. They've hurt me and I'm afraid...I'd like to destroy them before they start hurting you, Eliza, Dekkan, HK,...anyone that's ever shown any kind of kindness to me. " She sighed...maybe she had needed the tirade to let out her emotions because she kept them so bottled up inside, the real emotions, not the fake ones that she displayed to everyone. The ones that kept her up nights, the ones that made her fear for everyone, the ones that she hesitated to show anyone because she didn't want to be rejected.

S"ymbol is on crates..shipping something..somewhere..." A memory flashed then...."machinery...there's machinery in one of the boxes..." Her heart was slowing down. She was becoming calm.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He should know better than that. Rekha was one of, if not the, strongest person he knew. She never worried, she never faltered when her mind was made up. His emotions were so all over the place that he wasn’t sure what way was up. Maybe it was the Jedi in him, maybe it was the soldier. Standing up, he nodded. Antiseptic. That… was true. It hurt, yes, but it was true.

He used the Force to push the chair back. Looking at her, he nodded. “Come here, Kaarde.” He grinned, a real smile, warm, and welcoming. When she approached, he’d wrap his arms around her and laugh. A laugh that he was holding back, because he wasn’t sure if he was going to break down into a maniacal fit, or one of those ugly ones. The kind when your life fell apart around you and the bottom of the bottle was the only solution.

“The galaxy has been… a trying place.” He held her a second longer and nodded. “Lets get these fools before they hit anyone else. They looking for you on your ship? We can recreate a dozen of them, see where they pick the ship up. Give us some clue.” He had a few ideas.

Droid controlled, but through his and her contacts, they could easily rally a few clones of her ship. He looked back at the table, and grabbed one bottle, handing it to her before picking up the second. He lifted his towards her.

“To saving your ass, again.” He winked and tossed her a trademark Corellian grin.

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

She sniffled something she hated doing shaking her head she laid it on his shoulder for a moment. "Feth Coren...why me? Why not some schmo from Tatooine or Dagobah" she hugged him tight them in return this made her feel better.

It made her not feel alone, that he was her friend and not just there out of some obligation. She nodded at all he said her way of agreeing. Slowly the anxiety passed and she felt her calm returning. She let out a big sigh, "see so much better than antiseptic" She smiled let him loose looked up and of course caught the offered bottle.

She looked at it it was a good bottle she lifted it up to meet his, "Yes here's to saving my gorgeous ass." she smiled broadly then took a drink. It was good warm on the tongue and gave her some feeling of normalcy.

"Ok so...if the galaxy is trying place...Coren are you ok?" She was concerned for her friend she had seen it in him and now he said something that made her think that yeah..it was taking its toll on him. So maybe...they could help each other a little bit here.


"Yes they know my ship, I've got a way to disguise my beacon but after a while that isn't going to work ya know. I need to hide in the open, know what I mean?" She wanted to be out there not in some dark corner. She had to feel like she was the hunter not the prey.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Holding his long time partner for a moment, he shook his head. She was upset, and he couldn’t do too much, not with the Force, and only with his actions. But he needed her assistance, to direct where he and, if need be, a Roving Line should show up. The Alliance in Exile was small, and taking jobs to upset the balance of things that could harm the government’s interests? That was clearly in line with his thinking. And capability.

“Because you’re important. And you’re a thorn in someone’s side.” He laughed for a moment. “Galaxy has just been tough, and its getting darker. I need to not, but its… hard to keep upbeat.” With the Sith- and Ren-lead governments making their moves around.

“Definitely saving that ass.” He laughed and took the drink. Looking at her with her next question, he took a moment, rolling it over in his head. “We’re fixing it. Just… you know, Coruscant.” And the Alliance. So much had gone on, now where were they?

“So, if we disguise your ship, set up some automated ships broadcasting that they’re you, and send them out, we can maybe get some pings to where the group after you is, yeah?”

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

She had to think about Coren's suggestion it had merit and it had the value of something she wouldn't have ever asked, asking a few others to help in the ploy. She laughed at his answer, "Coren I'm always a thorn in someone's side...you know from experience." She was slowly returning to her usual self.
The galaxy had been tough and it didn't look to be getting any easier. "Well flyboy when you need a pick me up you should call me. We can do something about it. Ya know...raid something, steal something, drink something.....or the favorite go fly something." She winked at him then there were ways to deal with the overwhelming darkness. Action.
What they had always done, actions which speak louder than any words.

"Fixing it." She sighed then, "I've seen a lot of fixing it Coren. I don't mind fixing things but...at some point there's got to be some peace. That we go from fixing to making it better." Her green eyes looked up into his. She was pretty good at reading emotions from plain old experience.

Disguise the ship. See which get the action. She nodded, "yeah I think that could work anyone close by would definitely take the shot." She would she believed in that old adage when opportunity knocks, blow the door up.

"How do we get started with that?"

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

A grin found his features fast and he shook his head. “That you are, Rek.” He laughed and looked her over again. Another sip of the liquor and he was feeling a bit more easy. No where near as buzzed as some folks gotten, but into that place where his body felt warm, enough to lift the tension from his shoulders. “Its why the Underground liked having you around! And the Alliance too. Can run those missions that they couldn’t ask from most.” Rekha was always good for a more difficult assignment.

“I know, I know. But its Jedi business too, and I don’t want to bog you down with the need to try to change a whole nation.” Or galaxy. That was his wheelhouse, not anyone else’s. Coren Starchaser was trying to declare himself the Watchman of the Galaxy and knew that he would need help. But until it became absolutely necessary?

“I just … there is only so much that can be done, but if no one else steps up? Who will?” He looked at her, shaking off the defeated look from his face. “Well, can get you to the station nearby, get a workup of your ship’s quirks, and retask some other ships to build clones of yours…” As a start.

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

"OK hold it right there" She took his chin into her hand and made sure he was looking at her, "You can bog me down whenever it is needed. This go it alone thing...I know all about it...Didn't I just sit here and tell you how hard it is? I know how hard it is...but...I'm here flyboy. I'm always here. Whether you see me or not...got it" She let him loose.

They both could be so hard headed about things. Damn it was...she laughed annoying.

She nodded, "fine let's move it then we can commiserate and things as we go. " She smiled took another drink and put the bottle down.

"Its good stuff but clear heads may be needed...so come on fly boy. Let's plan"

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

As much as General Coren Starchaser, Jedi Master and leader of the Alliance in Exile was trying to be a strongman, but he knew he couldn’t go the course alone. He needed his team. And [member="Rekha Kaarde"] was a huge part of that team. Maybe she wasn’t a soldier, but she was someone he knew he could count on for so many missions and parts of her skillset. “Well, you need to make sure to chase me down before your issues get too big.” Tunnel vision was what that all was.

“We always do make it work, don’t we?” Whatever planet, whatever enemy, the pair and whoever they worked with, always came out on top, or at least got one, if not all of their objectives, depending where they were going, and what they were hoping to accomplish.

“So, first things first, is get the mock ups made. Then… do we want to chase them with military equipment, or are you hoping to run up the ladder to the leadership?”

Soft, or hard.

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

"Yeah, I know. but you and me are a like in that way we want to handle it ourselves." Yeah he had a point but she just couldn't think of putting him in danger. It was one of those things that as hard as she tried to do, ya know that reach out thing it was generally when her hair was on fire that she was calling.

"We do make it work. Cause it would be really boring if we couldn't. And...where's the fun in boring." She smiled again she could talk a good game, and at times she could even back it up. Today she really had to back it up she truly felt that others were at stake not just her.

"I want the leadership [member="Coren Starchaser"] to stop this thing dead in its tracks and take away all attempts are rebirth." Yeah they had made her mad and hurt her in ways she didn't like. "Mocks up first...where too again?"

Sometimes her mind was like a sieve where were they going? But she knew the plan, ghosts everywhere, find the one place the poke their heads out, and then BAM!

 

[Coren Starchaser]

“Yeah, we both can.” And it was true. Alone, either were able to handle most of what came at them. But together? They could take so much more. It was why groups formed. Justice League, the Avengers, Galactic Alliance, Outer Rim Coalition. Things like that. And that was why it was always a great time when the orbits of Rekha and Coren found themselves linked again.

“We’ll be fine. It won’t be boring, for sure.” This pair? Never boring. It was always going to turn out alright. And if he could cast aside some of his pomp and circumstance? Nothing was going to stand in his way. If he jumped into the fight to defend his friend? Nothing would get in his way.

Another look to his long-term battle partner and he nodded. “We will stop it.” He looked at the map. “I can get us about six mock ups, maybe 12 if they aren’t looking too closely. Where do you think they’re at? That’s where we’ll go, take your ship, and a beacon for a fleet if needed.” Alliance-in-Exile Fleet, so maybe a destroyer and some support vessels.

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

She nodded, "I think six will do it, need them at Coruscant, Cantonica, Bespin, probably some place within ORC space since the Skor battle, and......" She shook her head, "I travel so much anymore bouncing around maybe at one point on the Perlman route, best guess on the last. But we need to be someplace too." She thought about what she did.

Where are they looking...she smiled, "The Wheel Coren. We've got history there they'd go there." She could feel some of the heaviness of all this drama starting to lift off of her.

"Don't forget the symbol I can't help but think it's the key." She just knew it had to be why she had no idea. But it..would take them where they needed to look. Maybe they needed to go back to that other planet that was slipping her mind where she first saw the symbol.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Watching and listening to Rekha, Coren was typing in a few systems, each lighting up on the holo-map as she mentioned them. For the one heading into Coalition space, he just picked a random trade route that threw the vessel through most of the worlds, but steered clear of direct approach to D’Qar, instead hitting a nearby world that was sometimes used for clandestine meetings with Alliance brass. And the Perlman trade route lit up. Sending the vessels down those two paths just made sense for Coren as a pilot who spent a lot of time looking like he was avoiding trouble.

“The Wheel it is!” He grinned, almost excitedly here as the Wheel lit up. He spent enough time traveling there to refuel and rearm that he felt it made a lot of sense. Plus how often had he and Rekha made their way there before or after a job? “You and I will take your ship there, I can move the Roving Line into a position to jump into assist any vessel.”

“We’ll send it to the databanks of the astromechs on each mock up. From there we can identify some movements of it, if nothing else. Someone is bound to have seen it, or recorded it. But with any luck we can get them to come to us.” Maybe once on the Wheel they can not look like they’re not hiding. Y’know, be obvious but not too obvious. “Lets get you refueled, the mockups can probably be done in a day or so.”

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

"Great yes let's fuel up and head to The Wheel." She had a bit of a affection for that place and a bit of hatred for it to. It was there that she found out Marcus, aka Mon Loup was still alive. She had hoped not to lay eyes on him again but there he was acting like everything was good and that she was still his to play with. Even she would have to admit that he had made her feel safe in a place that she hated.

But so much changes over the years, he never let go of that life and she wanted nothing more than to escape that life. She smiled even though she was thinking about something painful. She was hunting him now. He and his little band of buddies.

She again turned her green eyes on Coren she didn't know what she'd do without him..and right now she really needed him. She felt...weird inside maybe it was chasing down Marcus as much as he had crossed the line. He had been a friend, a lover, and more for her. She hated it would come to this.

"Maybe we can find some feathers on The Wheel." She smiled.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Step one was getting them off the ship and out to space. As soon as Rekha had landed, they were working to refuel the ship. Coren knew his friend wasn’t about to use the Alliance fleet as a mobile port without at least having a drink and saying hi, but it felt better for him to be able to get moving, get off the ship and out to do a few things of worth. The Wheel was going to be a stop that Coren’s Roving Line was really familiar of, but it was only going to be he and Rekha, and maybe Porter, his astromech heading there. Last time he was there, ran into a few smugglers.

But last time he was there with Rek? Was that when [member="Spark Finn"] was still around with him, before he, y’know, destroyed his life in the galaxy something fierce. The pair were going to be just fine though. Coren had the Force, and Rekha’s wit and observations were much more in tune with what they were after and doing.

“We’ll be fine once we get there, should almost be full on fuel. Need to rearm?” He grinned at her. “Not sure we have feathers on board, but I know the Wheel has to have them.” He shook his head as he finished his drink and looked at Rekha. “So, you ready, or armory?”

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"oh choices choices. Drinks. Weapons. Friendly faces." She smiled looking over at Coren, "got anything new in the armory?" She couldn't turn down a good weapon, something with some bite that would knock em back and make em think twice.

"The Wheel...its kinda where this all started I guess. Marcus was there that day on the Wheel." She had been surprised and happy then. Now thinking back she probably should have shoved him out the airlock. Feth hindsight was always 20 20.

"I think I wore red feathers there ..do you remember?" She blinked innocently at him, she had been the spectacle that day. And sometimes after that too. "I think we all went thranta riding after that...did we?" It seemed a long time ago in her head, course everything recently was feeling like a long time ago.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Spending time with Rekha was always one of Coren’s favorite things to do. He was always upset when he didn’t do it more, but he couldn’t expect everyone to be a zealot against the dark side. He even realized his own reactions to it were only temporary, but it was needed. People needed to be there, and he had the unique ability to fight them back. “Actually, we’ve got some fresh firearms, and I had a crew just pull some masers out of Chiss space.” And by crew, he meant his own Warbirds, the small mercenary group who did a bit of work for him. He was trying to get some more effective stun weapons, just because the Alliance in Exile did work in some high civilian areas nowadays.

And shooting one down? Not so good for the public perception campaign.

Looking to his droid, he dismissed Porter to set up the orders and then turned back to Rekha. “Wheel it is. We’ll keep the Auriga nearby, to the Wheel. Alliance protocol and chit. But they won’t be seen for a few systems out, random patrol.” Sometimes he hated the new metrics he had to handle. Running a hand through his hair, he laughed.

“Yeah, I remember that dress, we went to Bespin after, didn’t we?” That was the riding, with Spark, and getting her away from a computer screen. That was the real trick.

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]​

​

"OH well sounds like a visit to the armory and the range are on the list." She smiled brightly at him, giving him that ooo sounds like fun idea look. She could feel a bit of the old excitement returning. She put her hand on Coren's shoulder for a moment for an odd reason she felt the need to do so then quickly dropped it away.

"Wheel it is. I am going to focus on what we need to do, and any of the blips that take the bait." She was still concerned though it might have shown she wasn't sure. She had started to stop caring about who saw what right now she wanted answers and it to be over.

"We did. I miss Bespin the thranta, the staff....hell I even miss miners." She half smiled this time it left her a bit melancholy thinking about the Underground there. Nice place, and patrons were well, trapped. But they were good about it. Captured audience.

"Maybe you'll go with me again one day?" She asked softly not that it was a big secret but she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings who might want to go do

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The galaxy was an ever changing landscape, but the connections you made were the ones that kept it from seeming too big. “Lucky for us, the Alliance in Exile is back to a lot more lax regs, so the ranges are open for non-enlisted as well.” Coren grinned. Knowing how the weapons worked was just as important as knowing what targets to shoot at. And anyway, he was the General of the Alliance army, he could bring whoever he damned well pleased to wherever. Especially on his own ship. Or one from his Roving Line.

Looking at her, he grinned and nodded. “Glad to have you back here. We’ll make you work for the Underground again real soon.” A laugh, one that definitely hadn’t been heard in a number of years, it seemed, and the old Coren was starting to break in again.

“Once we take care of your situation, I know a few that can help us get onto Bespin. First Order ain’t going to last forever, no matter what their government tries to sell their people.” He smiled. “So, range, or head straight for the Wheel?”

Or they could do both, and say they hit the range while the ship was refueled.

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

"Well flyboy you tag me for a job, I'll be on it quick." She would come for a few reasons some she knew some he knew some no one would ever know. She nodded, "I get to Bespin once in a while. I have to I got mouths to feed out there and I won't leave my people stranded. I just well can't get there a lot, draws a lot of attention from the FO patrols and they like things I cant afford to pay too often."

Yes she was bribing the patrols, "But if you're thinking of the future. Maybe I should set up a spy ring there and check em out. Make friends. ya know, party with them." She wasn't sure too much about the party but she'd try it, once or twice.

But they were loaded with Sith and one hint of deception from her with them and poof would go everything.

"Let's shoot something Coren, and then get the feth out of here and solve this problem before we both have gray hair and wrinkles."

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

That was one thing he knew for certain. Rekha was always just a comm call away. She’d be running towards wherever he sent her, with bells on. And it did remind him, he had credits he could push her way. The Alliance-in-Exile had been hit hard, and going back to her Underground and smuggler roots was important. He’d make a mental note that when this mission was over, to offer Rekha a letter for the merchant fleet. Let her privateer and smuggle for them. It’d keep her active, and he knew that the Alliance needed the helping hands of decent pilots. “We’ll need someone who knows the spacelanes there and back soon, I reckon. Help get messages, supplies, and people there.” He grinned.

“Spy ring would almost be better, either as an aside, or as what you can set up. Keep listening to what is going on.” Now he was thinking like a military commander again. He nudged her downt he hall. “WE’ve got some wonderful weapons around.”

And it would take a little bit to top off the charge and fuel on her freighter. The rest were going to be finished up hopefully by the end of the week and launched. Mocking a freighter was tricky. “What are you focusing on nowadays? We’ve got some new side arms and rifles that blow some of the old models out of the water.”

[member="Rekha Kaarde"]