Reinstated

[Byl Laprovik]

Late REM sleep.

He was aware of how well he slept. Not a moment broken by the need to check the entrances. Not a moment of worry for James. He always slept with his body closest to the door. In worst case scenarios, to shield her from any shots that might come in.

He woke up, feeling rested. Feeling different. He knew who he was. No more questions in his head. Sure of purpose.

She slept next to him, content in the safety he offered.

Then, as calmly as if he were making a pot of caf, he took his pillow and pressed it over her face...


"Gahhhh...."

Byl woke, catching the breath he'd held for a minute in the last moments of his fleeting nightmare.

He'd almost had a full night. So close.

[James Prent]

She was by the kitchenette, pouring another cup of caf when he slowly turned over and woke up. "Mornin', sunshine." James snagged the second cup and filled it for him, walking over to the edge of the bed. Sitting carefully she handed it over and kissed him.

"You missed a hell of a frelling sunrise." She smiled, only the tiny creases at the corners of her eyes betraying the anxiety that she could never quite get rid of.

[Byl Laprovik]

"Shame I missed that..."

His mind was still reeling as he took the caf and her affections, needing both to dispel the fog of sleep and the lingering whispers of the night terror he'd just emerged from. He watched her as he drank, the morning sun kissing off the far contour of her face. She looked beautiful, and he was never more relieved to see her there smiling that smile that only she could wear.

"...don't normally sleep this late, do I?"

Another sip. Just a dream. Nothing.

[James Prent]

"No, but I figured you needed it. You're meeting with Starborn today, and gods know what she's gonna want t' talk about." James rolled her eyes, but she was grateful that the Intel agent had gone to great lengths to find Byl. Now, at least, they had a direction other than simply running from everyone.

And if they needed to run again? Well, that was an option too.

[Byl Laprovik]

He shrugged.

"I doubt it'll be much. Show my beautiful face in broad daylight, and stay on a short leash."

Trust was a valuable commodity, he didn't have much of it and he doubted Starborn did either. If he was really that far deep into Intel, he doubted he would be back in that role without a lot of trial and error.

He kissed her cheek.

"With any luck, back in time for dinner with time to spare. If the weather behaves, maybe we can go to the north pier? Fresh seafood for a change? Certainly fresher than Bespin."

[James Prent]

James smiled agreeably. "Sure, that sounds great." It sounded...positively domestic. She sipped her caf, and waggled her eyebrows at him. "You probably need pants. I'd keep th' shirtless look, though. It's my personal favorite."

She squealed as he tickled her, and struggled to keep from spilling her cup. Finally wriggling free, she tossed his clothes at him and beat a hasty retreat, red faced and laughing.

[Byl Laprovik]

He dressed himself in front of her, reminded of how plain his outfit was. It was plain because survival dictated to him for so long that he should be plain. Finished dressing, he showed off for her.

"Maybe I'll get a suit stipend. Of course I'll need an equally well dressed woman on my arm. I'll let you know if they include a clothing stipend, should I be assigned to any cliché assignments where I gamble with dangerous people in casinos."

The laughter healed. He kissed her in thanks.

"Guess I'll be going then. Tonight though. You and me. Seafood on somebody else's bill."

[Jane Starborn]

"I am, of course, working on getting ahold of your non-redacted file." Jane Starborn smoothed her palm across the surface of her clean desk. Not even a datacard was sitting on it. She hesitated, and then added, "You were, of course, closely affiliated with Captain Eluna Thals. She would be able to fill in some of the blanks with her own recollections of your missions together."

She steepled her fingers, looking across at the blue eyes of Byl Laprovik. "On the meantime, I think we both know you need to be visible. As visible as an Intel agent can be," she amended. "So you'll be heading out with me."

Jane pulled a datapad from a drawer and slid it across to him. "Standard recon mission. We go in to the location and I map it. Simple."

[Byl Laprovik]

"Blue milk run, then."

Byl sat with his hands on the armrests, as calm as a glass of water. This was more or less the sort of thing he expected. So much the better.

"I think I can handle that. Where's our target? Further, are we expecting enemy contact?"

[Jane Starborn]

Jane indicated the datapad he held. "Outpost on Munto Cordu. The Empire has a garrison in Capital Cordu, and Intel wants the Forbidden Castle mapped in case they decide they want to liberate the planet."

She raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps not as exciting as you are used to, but necessary nonetheless." It was, after all, her primary job with Intel.

[Byl Laprovik]

Byl looked at the intelligence presented to him. Skills he had no idea how he had were put to seamless use in analyzing what was in front of him.

"I'm used to living hand to mouth and running for a living, Starborn."

He gestured to the pad.

"This is a welcome diversion. Covert insertion, I'm assuming? Shuttle?"

The installation seemed like it was centralized enough for an orbital strike to destroy it. He imagined the Alliance preferred a softer approach, which suited him fine.

[Jane Starborn]

"Shuttle," she nodded, "And we're going inside in plain sight. We have cover identities as newly hired servants. They're a little old school when it comes to droids doing the cooking and cleaning."

Jane smiled without humor. "Which works well enough for us." She looked at Byl's face, looking for... anything. He was a hard man to read. "We're leaving tonight, 2200 hours. Until then... I can tell you where to find Captain Thals." The HRD had been almost sulky last time she'd talked to her. Jane wouldn't pretend to understand what that was about.

[Byl Laprovik]

2200...

So, more of a blue milk run than he realized. Still enough time for dinner. Not much else though. And the droid...human replica droid?

A frown.

If he didn't see the machinery exposed from her injuries, he'd never know. Never seen anything like that.

"And you think Captain Thals has answers I need?"

Worth a shot, but if she did, wouldn't she have briefed Starborn?

[Jane Starborn]

"She was part of Phoenix Cell with you," Jane confirmed. "She is probably the only...person who knows who you were."

She studied the man in front of her. Was there a difference between what someone did, and who they were?

[Byl Laprovik]

He nodded absently. Nothing concrete. Just a possibility. He didn't put much stock in it.

"Phoenix Cell?"

It wasn't a name that appeared in his reports. Everyone was so damned tight-lipped with even the most incidental information.

"Alright then. 2200. I'll be there."

He'd meet Captain Thals, of course. He wasn't sure what he expected to find. More on Phoenix Cell for sure. More on him? Who knew.

[Jane Starborn]

"I will see you then."

Jane watched Byl walk out of her office. To be totally honest with the man would mean having to tell him the details of all his missions. She had read them all while trying figure out where he could be.

That sort of information was better coming from a friend, though. Right?

[Eluna Thals]

She watched it rain. It was always something simple. Something to vaguely occupy her, while the rest of her mind was filled with missions, briefings, interactions, and memories. All separate and compelling thoughts, almost all happening at once. It was both maddening and understandable, but one thing it most certainly did was create a sense of loneliness.

When the door chime went off, she allowed the Girl to jump slightly with surprise. Then the Machine took over. It knew who was on the other side of that door. The only person who wouldn't bother with a comm message.

The door slid open to her apartment, and she looked up at his face.

"Come in."

[Byl Laprovik]

Somewhat on guard, Byl complied.

"Captain Thals..."

He looked around her apartment. What was he expecting for a droid? A droid with it's own, er, her own apartment? It was appropriately plain.

Watching her move, it was difficult to remind himself who he was dealing with. There was nothing to cause disbelief. No uncanny valley. As real as he was, supposedly. And a look on her face that couldn't be there by accident. He quickly diverted his eyes to her boring couch, but didn't sit.

[Eluna Thals]

"You used to call me Eluna."

She smiled somewhat wistfully, looking into his eyes for a sign of any familiarity.

"Do you want a drink?"

The droid was nearly certain why he was here. She was just here to be used, wasn't she?

[Byl Laprovik]

"Sure."

He nodded absently, suddenly not sure if he had a preference about that sort of thing. He knew Captain, er, Eluna Thals was a droid, but he'd never guess just from observing. It wasn't just an exacting organic likeness. She behaved completely normally. Too close to the mark he had to remind himself. What would James think of their meeting?

She trusts me.

He frowned at the thought. The responsibility of it was sobering. Eluna returned just at that moment with a pair of drinks. He sipped at his. Whatever it was, it tasted good enough.

"Tell me about us, Eluna."