Mara
nothing worth anything ever goes down easy
9,275 posts
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the one and only
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last online May 2, 2022 22:30:17 GMT -5
Master
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Nov 17, 2014 15:27:53 GMT -5
Post by Mara on Nov 17, 2014 15:27:53 GMT -5
[…from the Pageantry of Fate]
She was back on the bridge of the Aegis for the final leg of the long journey from Coruscant, expectancy on her pale face. It had taken days for them to travel from the unofficial center of the galaxy to the far reaches of the mid rim and their destination of the water planet of Tibrin. Even if the ship’s captain, Arkoh Altunen, had requested her presence up here, she would have come of her own volition. Senator Irinna Icharus wanted to be here for this, the fulfillment of a hard-fought aid mission to assist the local Ishi-Tib people suffering from the effects of a devastating disease that had brought destruction to their food source and an ensuing famine.
Prepared for what was ahead, the senator was dressed simply in well-made garments. This was not the time or place to be seen in billowing senatorial gowns or sporting the latest fashions, though her fellows in the Senate may disagree. Not only would it be possibly offensive to the struggles of the Ishi-Tib, but it was quite inappropriate for the watery environment. So she was wearing brown form-fitting trousers and worn leather utilitarian boots. A long pale blue tunic that complimented the hue of her eyes was accompanied by a belt around her waist. Ina had secured her long white hair on the top of her head, leaving her softly pointed ears exposed.
Watching in the forward viewscreen as the planet slowly swelled into view, Ina thought back over to how she had gotten to this point. After she had eventually scraped together enough support to pursue her mission, she had been given a few crates of food supplies. Recently returned to Coruscant, the Aegis, captained by a fellow Arkanian, was to be her means of transport. And so she, along with her bodyguards Ofi and Mal, had boarded the large imposing vessel. Without much preamble, they had lifted off the planet and slipped into hyperspace at the first possible opportunity.
Ina had spent the majority of her time within her quarters, planning for her arrival to Tibrin and making sure she had everything ready. Even without the mysterious rampaging disease, the planet had a delicate ecosystem. The Ishi-Tib relied almost solely on their natural resources for every aspect of their lives. She had spent countless hours working with Ofi to iron out the delivery of supplies, limiting the amount of technological assistance that would be used. Wherever she could, she had eliminated machine work in favor of more organically powered processes. She wanted to do all she could to avoid making the disaster worse; the last thing she wanted was to destroy any remaining ecological balance Tibrin had by introducing unnecessary technology.
In those times that she had been in the presence of their host and captain, she had had to endure awkward conversation and uncomfortable silences. And it was not because of the added difficulty of her deafness and needing intermediaries in order to say even the simplest things. No, she had gotten a vibe from Altunen, feeling the Arkanian did not entirely agree with having to shuttle her halfway across the galaxy. Especially considering she was of the lesser Offshoot race of Arkanians. Though he had never overtly said thus, maintaining the civility as became his position. She had tried at first to break through his icy demeanor but eventually gave up, even taking her meals in the privacy of her rooms, and keeping their meetings to a minimum.
But now she had to put all that behind her and focus on the task ahead. The senator would need all her strength to carry out her mission. Delivering the much-waited for aid down on Tibrin and meeting with its leaders in order to gauge the greatest areas of need to distribute the supplies in the most effective way possible. She could not let any personal feelings between her and the captain to stand in her way. Pettiness would accomplish nothing but keeping the desperate Ishi-Tib from receiving their necessary help. Ina only hoped that Altunen would eventually see things from her perspective. Or at least mask his resentment for the sake of the Ishi-Tib.
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Thaddeus
Double Majoring in Moonfire and Neology
282 posts
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last online Jan 16, 2015 2:57:43 GMT -5
Padawan
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Nov 18, 2014 22:18:40 GMT -5
Post by Thaddeus on Nov 18, 2014 22:18:40 GMT -5
Standing upon the platform which overlooked the bridge Arkoh directed the Aegis down into the atmosphere of Tibrin. His eyes moved from screen to screen with delicate fingers touching or adjusting something on each one. Every now and then you could hear the cultured intonations of his voice ring out followed promptly by a ‘Yes sir.’ He was ignoring the senator and her small entourage which were watching the water world zoom into view. Whether because she was particularly observant or because she was naturally reclusive, Arkoh could not tell which, she had avoided him throughout their journey. It was an utter mercy and the first time he was told that the senator would be eating in her quarters he very nearly kissed the marine who brought the news. The notion of having to engage in small talk or worse having to discuss terribly dull politics were things Arkoh was very grateful to have avoided.
As the ship soared through the atmosphere Arkoh mused that for the sake of the Republic it was probably also good that he and the senator had talked little. He had read up a bit more on the senator during the journey and found her populist bent to be wholly unattractive. The notion that one should repose faith in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance clearly seemed perfectly valid to the senator – still she is a woman and an offshoot Arkoh thought to himself, excusing her weakness and silly ideas.
The spaceport loomed into view like a pearl on the horizon, all glistening and white among the blue ocean. The comms flared to life and instructions and clearances were relayed quickly. Arkoh did not bother himself with that triviality and nodding to his XO stepped down from the platform. The Duros, an unusually laconic gentleman for his species, stepped up and monosyllabically began issuing orders.
Now standing next to the senator, who still had that bird-like droid perched on her shoulder and unable to stop himself Arkoh imagined her with an eye-patch and cutlass like some story-book pirate. He smiled and let out a silent chuckle before coughing and regaining his composure.
“Senator we will be landing shortly so if you would follow me.”
Arkoh set out with his measured pace not even bothering to wait for a reply, truth be told this was not a fault of his personality but rather of his profession. Spend long enough having people obey your every word and soon you expect everyone to. Arkoh straightened his uniform as they walked in silence through the winding halls.
Reaching the cargo bay Arkoh entered first and the quartermaster, a burly Corellian, strode over and handed his captain a large rolled cigarette. Arkoh smiled and took it lazily between two fingers; two more opposite looking men you probably could not find but Arkoh had found that his quartermaster for all his gruffness shared Arkoh’s own refined palate. So they often smoked and drank together, rarely saying anything but the silence was a comfortable one.
Reaching into his jacket Arkoh produced a lighter and ignited both of the cigarettes, taking a deep puff and exhaling with delight he turned to face the senator once more. “I had imagined that you would want to exit the ship with the supplies, perhaps make a symbolic handover…” Arkoh waved his hand at the small box of medicine which had been pulled out of the larger crates. “… It will take three hours to unload everything senator.” He inhaled the fine tobacco again and smiled as the ship lurched a little. Pre-empting the announcement on the intercom Arkoh said, “We’ve arrived.”
Almost as soon as the last syllable had exited his mouth marines began filing in until a whole platoon stood at attention. Arkoh strode over and corrected a few buttons or belts here and there, throwing over his shoulder as he did, “A small escort, given that we are at war.” It was spat out derisively though still with the veneer of civility to it that Arkoh had perfected to an art form.
As the ramp lowered and the sun streamed in Arkoh put out the fine cigarette, straightened his uniform once more, pushed his hair into the right place, and remained standing near his marines away from the senator and her party. He could make out the Ishi-Tib delegation and as the senator made her way to them Arkoh and the marines followed. Nothing more than a distraction from the war effort, there is a reason we are losing Arkoh thought to himself as he made an easy and charming smile toward the senator.
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Mal
Am I, or the others crazy? - Albert Einstein
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last online Nov 1, 2015 16:27:49 GMT -5
Padawan
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Dec 11, 2014 0:49:54 GMT -5
Post by Mal on Dec 11, 2014 0:49:54 GMT -5
Mal remained near Ina throughout the entire trip, he was never very far from her and he always had a blaster near him just in case. He meditated more than slept, never letting Ina out of range of his senses. He didn't think anything would happen to her here though, not on a military ship. Then again the Captain was a full Arkanian, while Ina was an Offshoot. He felt it better to err on the side of caution when it came to Ina's safety. And he doubted that Ofi would object to the presence of one or two more blasters if it meant Ina's safety. Especially if those extra blasters and their wielder could be used as a, and the pun wasn't lost on him, meat shield. Still, he wouldn't die if he could avoid it and he sure as hell wasn't going to let Ina die. He would before Ina did, or at least that was his hope if the situation called for it. But he hoped more that the situation would never call for it.
Mal had been working on something in his small amount of spare time, a small visor that could transmit images onto a small screen. Something that Ofi could connect to so that Ina wouldn't have to rely on a datapad and look at whoever she was dealing with. It was proving a bit tricky, but he was almost finished with it, he would probably have it finished during the return trip, if not it would only be a few days afterword and he'd be able to give them to her. As it stood he was trying to keep it a secret from her at the moment, he wanted to surprise her with it. Still, if she already knew about it he wouldn't be upset. He hadn't told Ofi because he figured that she'd just tell her about it, so he had a few setbacks in the process. Still, he wanted to make sure that things were made easier for her, even if only just a bit.
Mal kept pace with Ina throughout their stay, so it was only natural that he ended up a few feet behind her on the bridge. It wasn't the first time he had seen something like this, but he assumed it was the first time she had seen it. The ship had given him a pang of nostalgia for his days in active duty. It was all familiar, comfortable, he was even tempted and had to resist the urge to salute those who had a higher rank than him. Technically he was still a Sargent after all. But he had managed to keep from saluting, but he had used his military experience to teach Ina a bit about navigating a ship like this. It was different than a civilian ship and took a few tricks. Mal had even started picking up a few of her signs and was learning a few phrases. Still, he dared not start signing himself yet. He didn't want to say something wrong on accident.
Mal didn't miss a beat when the Captain asked for Ina to follow him, he moved the moment Ina did, keeping the distance between them exactly two and a half feet. He was getting used to her movements, he could read her better which was useful to be able to guess even vaguely what she was about to do. His time on the battlefield had taught him to read people. Mal kept his senses spread to their full twenty-five feet, and he also kept his eyes moving over everyone and everything. Another skill from the battlefield, he could look at something once and remember it enough to travel it. It may not have been perfect, but it was enough. Best yet, he was watching every gun hand he could see. His own hand was ready to draw his blaster from his shoulder harness within milliseconds if needed. It was just something he would rather have and not need, than need and not have. He felt relatively safe on board the ship, it was when they got off the ship that he cared.
Mal listened to the Captain and as he had done the entire trip, he kept his counsel about his own negative feelings about the man. Ina could probably guess how he felt, and Ofi probably, but he doubted anyone else could. He didn't like the man. He didn't like anyone who viewed themselves as above anyone else. People like that were almost as bad as the Sith, but at least they were mostly harmless usually. Still, just because the man wouldn't harm any of them, didn't mean he had to like the man. Or trust him. Yeah, trusting the man wasn't about to happen. For now he would settle for trusting the Republic, and the man answered to the Republic. And Ina was a Republic Senator after all.
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Mara
nothing worth anything ever goes down easy
9,275 posts
55 likes
the one and only
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last online May 2, 2022 22:30:17 GMT -5
Master
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Jan 3, 2015 15:55:51 GMT -5
Post by Mara on Jan 3, 2015 15:55:51 GMT -5
The senator nodded politely at the captain as he stepped over and joined her, after apparently handing over control of the ship to his second-in-command. Officers were a flurry of activity as they prepared for the Aegis's landing, which wouldn't be long now. She had seen the watery world of Tibrin completely encapsulate the forward viewports of the ship and then soon after disappear as they passed through the wispy atmosphere. On their continued descent, Ina had seen the various islands that the Ishi-Tib inhabited; one of the larger was their destination. Where she would greet the planet's leaders and begin the process of dispersing supplies.
Feeling a vibration in her hand, she held up her datapad. She had been so focused on watching straight ahead at the planet that she hadn't noticed Altunen speak. But to be fair, the only way she could have observed that was if she had caught his lips moving, and with her attention elsewhere, she hadn't. Reading the text that had scrolled across the device, thanks to Ofi's translation and transmission from the bird-like droid's perch on her shoulder, she looked back up to the Arkanian captain. Ina nodded once more to show that she understood the situation and his offer. No words necessary.
She quietly followed the captain as they made their way out of the bridge and down the long corridors of the Aegis. The senator was a bit confused, as she realized they had passed the hatch where she had originally boarded the ship back on Coruscant. If they were getting ready to debark, why wouldn't they use the main passage? However, she trusted Altunen knew what he was doing and had a plan in mind, and she kept pace behind him. Despite their differences of opinion, Ina didn't think that the Arkanian would actually harm her. Especially not with Ofi and Mal in the vicinity.
Several minutes later, Ina felt like she had traversed the entire length of the ship. And when they stepped through a large opening, she realized they had. The large cavernous space she found herself in could only be the cargo area, filled with cartons and boxes that held the well-needed aid items for the Ishi-Tib. And even though there was a large number of them, the hold was still more than half empty, vast that it was. It awed Ina a little bit, though she shouldn't have been surprised, given how sizable the rest of the Aegis was compared to the smaller transports she had used in the past.
But she had to tear her gaze away; Captain Altunen was speaking to her again, a scruffy officer by his side. Following the words on her screen, she blinked her light blue eyes. More from the cloud of smoke than anything else. Ina hadn't thought about the method of her entrance onto the planet, but the Arkanian's suggestion was a surprisingly good one. Lifting her head, she smiled and began signing, which Ofi would translate aloud in her mechanical but feminine voice. << Thank you. That is a fine idea, Captain. >>
Before she could say anything else, a bit of turbulence as the Aegis settled down on its landing struts and the emergence of a line of soldiers cut her off. Ina remained where she was for the moment, as the captain went to inspect his troops. She caught something scrolling on her datapad, and her face scrunched in confusion, not wholly sure what Altunen meant by his words. And of course, the text could not display vocal inflections, meaning she took everything at face value, no sarcasm, no nothing. Figuring it moot to respond, she just let it go and focused back on the task at hand.
Someone placed the small box of medicine in her hands, and after a deep breath to compose herself, Ina strode resolutely across the cargo hold and down the ramp, into the humid air of the watery world. Despite her more utilitarian clothing ensemble, she held herself with grace and confidence. Wherever she went, no matter importance, the senator always tried to present herself with the highest dignity, wanting to represent the Republic in the best light possible. Ofi remained on her shoulder, Mal following behind, with Captain Altunen and his marines taking up the rear.
Ina tilted her head in a respectful half-bow as she reached the group of Ishi-Tib assembled. One of them, the most richly appointed, had stepped out of line and gone forward to meet her in the middle. "Senator Icharus, we are deeply grateful for your arrival and for all you and the Republic are doing for us." The elder Ishi-Tib's voice was gruff but pleasant, as he glanced behind her at the Arkanian captain and gave him a thankful nod before turning back to Ina. His beak was turned up in what only could have been his species' version of a smile.
Slowly and reverently, the senator passed over her box of medicinal supplies. Once the Ishi-Tib had them firmly in his grasp, she raised her hands to sign. As she did so, Ofi spoke, translating the sign language into Basic. "I'm very happy to be here to do this for you, Minister Ku. It isn't much, but I hope that what I have brought with me will help you during your time of need while your crops recover." The droid paused as Ina did a half-turn to indicate the open cargo hold of the Aegis behind her. "I hope this is just the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between the people of Tibrin and the Republic."
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