The Turning Tide

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Sitting at a metal bistro table on Cloud City, Lilaena De'Ville causally used her commlink to call a number she hadn't used in over a year. Byl Laprovik (Captain), of Phoenix Cell, of the Rebel Alliance.

Her apprentice, Akasha Kahn, sat across from her, still studying the menu. They had traded Mando'a clothing and armor in favor of nondescript jumpsuits in neutral tones. De'Ville had tied her lengthening hair back in a jaunty ponytail, stray strands gathering around her face as the breeze picked up.

The number connected, a buzz tone telling her it was still valid. But then it went to voicemail. An automated female voice repeated the number she'd called and then instructed her to leave a message.

"Laprovik - this is De'Ville. The Imperialist rally, about a year ago? I was wondering if we could get together and talk about something more... permanent. You have my number."

She disconnected the transmission, and placed her commlink on the table.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha watched Master De'Ville furtively as she recorded a message for their mysterious contact, then splayed her ears at a noisy outburst from a pair of Grans at the next table. Everything about this mission was new territory for the black-furred Orryxian. Until now, she'd set foot on a grand total of three different planets - Onderon, Klatooine, her native Orryxia, each one its own kind of prison. She was confronting the galaxy at large for the first time, and it was daunting.

She turned the menu page and found herself reading the salads, even though there wasn't a thing there she could digest. "How long do you think it'll be before he answers?" she asked.

Akasha hoped her anxiety didn't show, but she doubted she could hide anything from her master. She felt exposed in the open-air cafe, and she felt ridiculous in the faded red jumpsuit which had been cut for a human. Her ears scanned the crowd warily, especially the line of plasteel-armored troopers marching down the pedwalk a stone's throw away. It was so... crowded!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"I don't know," she said, unsealing the top of her cherry fizzyglug and setting off a small chain reaction of twirling holographic ads that circled her bottle. Irritated, she waved them away, fingers scattering the motes of light like so many gnats. "He could be busy on a mission. But I would guess we'll hear within a few days. If I don't get a call back by then, we'll pursue another avenue."

Cloud City was a welcome change after months in the humidity of Onderon, and she lifted her head a bit as the wind caressed the open air square. "And you will tell the Jedi how we met?" Akasha was no doubt tired of repeating the story, but the more she said it the more convincing she would be.

Plus, it was almost entirely true. Lilaena was the one who would have to fudge on the details - such as who her armored compatriots had been in the weapons heist, and what the weapons had been for. Still, she'd managed to keep a secret from Master Eldhil for years, and there was no Force user more paranoid or suspicious than the late A'na Eldhil.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha gave her master a strained smile and said, "You and your band of Brommstaad mercenaries rescued me from Jaarhu the Hutt on Klatooine." She sipped from her glass containing some kind of spiced milk and delicately licked the flecks of white from her lips. "And during the escape, I saved your life from a rampaging Barabel by choking it with the Force. You really should watch where you step, Master."

[Eluna Thals]

The comm line beeped alive. Lilaena's message was being replied to. Upon opening the link, she could hear Byl's familiar voice.

"I have five minutes to speak on this line. No details on here, and no more names. I'm afraid work's got me tangled up. My sister can meet you. Where did you have in mind?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Bespin," she said without hesitation, recognizing the voice of Captain Byl Laprovik. "At the bistro on Cloud City where we first met, tomorrow?"

Lilaena waved an insect away from her drink as she waited for Byl to reply.

[Eluna Thals]

Eluna glanced to Jane, who was no doubt already on top of the coordinates. With a smirk, she continued in Byl's falsetto.

"I'll make sure she sees you, then. Out."

Curtly ending the comm, Eluna returned her attention forward.

"That's fortunate. Bespin happens to be the next likely lilly pad for us to jump to. Perhaps we'll run into both of them."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Well, it looks like we only have a day to wait." Lilaena pocketed her commlink and looked over at her apprentice. "We'll have to lay low until then."

***

The next day found them at the same place, but with different drinks. The day had turned out a bit cloudier than usual, cool, and damp. Lilaena nursed a chai tea, keeping her hands folded around the cup to keep them warm. They were seated inside by a large picture window where she had a good view of the passersby.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha was more settled now, and her tail waved lazily beneath her chair as she waited alongside her master. While Lilaena watched the pedwalk, the Orryxian girl watched the rest of the bistro, though there was little there to see. She'd managed to make light conversation with her master, asking her about the repulsorlifts and mining platforms like any dazzled off-worlder might, just so other patrons didn't see a pair of strange females brooding in silence.

She watched with guarded disgust as a scandalously clad stripe-skinned humanoid with long ears and a tail slunk by to a corner table. "Still can't believe the serving droid mistook me for a Cizerack," she grumbled.

[Eluna Thals]

Eluna made her way to the bistro, only after casually strolling the periphery to note the vantages, exits, and other points of interest she may need to commit to memory. That done, she separated herself from the throng and approached De'Ville's table. She was dressed fairly casually, wearing a pale yellow baby tee and casual shorts. The orange and pink sky was, for a change, allowing a bit of sun through, and it was a pleasantly warm day.

"You spoke earlier with my brother."

Offering a small smile, she extended her hand to Lilaena as she stood by the table.

"A pleasure to meet you both. He sends his regards."

Deep within the HRD, a HoloNet transmitter was making sure that wherever Starborn was, she was kept in the loop, in real time.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Lilaena nodded slightly, taking the woman's hand and shaking it. "Its funny, you look nothing like him." She gestured to the third seat at their table.

"I'm going to assume you know how I know your... brother. I've worked with him before. And I want in."

She sipped her tea. "All in."

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha's yellow-green eyes were on the stranger as soon as she walked in. Master De'Ville had trained her always to keep her senses open in the Force, but that didn't mean shutting down her natural senses. Something about the woman smelled just slightly off. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she thought for a moment it was like the woman was wearing sweat-and-blood perfume.

A stupid idea. Akasha put it out of her mind and focused on the conversation.

[Jane Starborn]

Jane twisted around, hips almost stuck for a moment in the cramped space as she angled for an adjoining shaft in the bowels of Cloud City's extensive ventilation system. Eluna had sliced into the mainframe when they'd landed and she'd been able to get a good look at the blueprints to some of the city's main systems.

In one ear she could hear the HRD and De'Ville's conversation carrying on, adding a level of surrealism to the situation as she squirmed through a tight connection and began climbing up another level. It had been a while since she'd done some honest to goodness boots-on-the-ground Intel work, but it wasn't like she'd forgotten what it was like.

Bespin and Cloud City were under Imperial control. While she could have tried bribing her way in, it was better just to slip under the garrison's radar entirely. Why be a mouse when you could be a ghost?

Except that it seemed that no one ever worried about cleaning the ducts this close to the computer server she was angling for. Starborn stifled a sneeze and carefully used a multitool to remove a vent cover. She held it for a moment, made sure the room opposite was clear, and then carefully slid out of the vent head first. Handstand on the desk below into a back walkover to the floor.

[Eluna Thals]

Eluna gave the barest of nods, empathetic without agreeing to anything.

"I can make a case for you, based on your history. Ultimately, it isn't mine or my brother's decision."

Pressing a little, she eased her elbows onto the table casually.

"Might I ask your reasons? I can only imagine it would help to make your case."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She wrapped her hands around her tea again, shoulders squaring against hard memories. "The Empire took the closest thing I had to a mother.

"And I've been working freelance too long." Lilaena rubbed her forehead a bit, smoothing her hair back behind one of her ears. "It wears on you. The war. I finally realized its bigger than just me... and the best chance we have is only good if we're all working together."

She put a hand on Akasha's shoulder. "I was hoping that you might be able to help my friend, as well."

[Akasha Khan]

The Orryxian looked uncertainly from Lilaena to the stranger. She was an exile and a fugitive. It wasn't so difficult to play a role that was so close to the truth.

"Akasha," she said, hesitantly. "I..." She looked to Lilaena again, ostensibly for encouragement. "Lilaena tells me I have... special gifts."

[Eluna Thals]

The HRD considered Lilaena's story. Revenge was a common denominator for many Rebels, and that was more or less a generic reason, and one she wasn't inclined to scrutinize much.

Turning her attention to the Orryxian, Eluna read between the lines of her comment. There was no sense in talking about that in the open.

"Gifts."

She gave a small nod.

"I may be able to arrange something supervised."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Lilaena's shoulders relaxed a bit. "I'm glad to hear it." She squeezed Akasha's arm lightly, and then returned her hands to her chai tea. "She saved my life, it was the least I could do to help her find a place."

She sipped her tea, and tilted her head to one side. "What do we do now? I can't stay here long, my face isn't exactly unknown in Imperial space."

[Jane Starborn]

Slicing into the server was easier than she'd expected. Accessing the local holonet node and piggybacking into the port's public transport logs was the work of just a few minutes.

"You can get a better read off of them than I can," she murmured to Eluna under her breath. "But what records there are of Lilaena De'Ville's work with Byl are good. She'd be a solid addition from what I can tell, obviously well suited for undercover work and maybe special forces."

She adjusted her ear piece and bent over the console, scanning the data that was flying up the screen. "I don't see any records of Laprovik coming or going." Jane resisted the urge to punch the glass, and instead clenched her hands into white knuckled fists for a moment.

[Eluna Thals]

"Bespin isn't ideal."

She gave a cursory glance beyond her guests as an invitation to take a look around. Even when discrete, the Imperial presence here was profound.

"I can take you as far as another off-world safe house. From there, I can put you in touch with some like-minded friends. I would think, dependent on that, we could explore your future."

A furtive smile, and Eluna blinked.

"Regardless, our current working relationship has been fruitful, from what my brother says. I don't think it will take much convincing anyone that you have some place with us, wherever that may be."