Scratch the Pitch (Complete)

[Hara Kiri]

"Miss Hara, would you please not touch that!" Said the dark haired pilot as Hara Kiri fiddled with a panel of different colored buttons.

"But look at them! They're so pretty, it looks like a kids game that I played when I was young. Don't you agree?" She said to the second pilot, giving him a nudge with her elbow.

"Miss Hara, it would simply be better if you did not touch the control panel at all." The second one replied annoyed with her as much as the first pilot.

"Fine, fine." She said defeated. "Jeez. I was going to leave anyway."

She left the pilots cabin and took a seat in the commom room near the window. The window revealed nothing but blue abyss stripped with white swirls, hyperspace was a sight she was more than sick of. The trip from Korriban to Corellia was short in respect to travelling to any other system. Korriban wasn't too far from the nearest trade route and once a ship merged with the route, intregalactic travel became quick.

She surfed through the holonet, barely paying attention as the few channels skipped by. She reflected on her time so far at the Sith Order, it had been educational and more exciting than most of her life. It seemed that everyone there had some special talent with the Force, leaving her a very plain and boring acolyte. In time she'd develop her special gifts, Jorshal, one of the Sith Elders, had told her when she complained to him. She was starting from scratch, she had only a slight hint of experience with the Force, many who joined had recieved some training in it. She was just a street rat when she joined, she hadn't a secret master of the fighting arts or a mystical wizard who taught her everything. The only history she carried with her was that of boring and tedious jobs and living inside a shack that didn't warm in the winter. That was all going to change. Once she learned how to read minds, she was going to make it big in the casinos on Corellia and live the high life. Even life on Korriban forshadowed a better life, she had been given some money from the Order and she had every intention of spending it all on shopping and partying. She smiled to herself. Yeah, life had finally looked up for her.

She looked out the window and watched the blue tinted hyperspace fade to white stars on black. The enormus planet of Corellia cam into view, The beatiful capitol Coronet sprawled across the coast. She had lived on Corellia before she moved to Korriban, but the gorgeous view of Corellia from space always took her breath away.

The intercomm interrupted her thoughts, "Please do not resist, your ship is being pulled in for routine inspection. Cooperation will expidite the process. Thank you."

Hara Kiri stormed the cabin. "Why are you letting them take us in? We didn't do anything! Give them what they want so I can get to the surface!"

"Miss Hara, there's nothing we can do. It's the Empire, we can run away, especially over a routine inspection." The dark haired pilot said in response.

"It's those damned Rebels. If they'd just quit this nonsense the rest of us could go on with our normal lives." The other continued, more towards his co-pilot than to her. "These inspections are a pain, last week I got inspected on route to Arkania, took two hours out my day. The bosses back at Korriban weren't pleased about that."

Their voices faded to the background when she heard it took two hours last time one of them had been inspected. "Can't you just ell them we have nothing to do with the Rebels?"

They ignored her foolish suggestion.

She screamed, "Jeez!" in frustration at them and the whole situation and stormed out. She looked out the window again and saw a long line of ships leading to the Imperial Destroyer. "Oh my gosh... Two hours, yeah right, maybe five at least."

[Lamar Starworth]

The life of a stormtrooper had become all the more tedious after Lamar's return from Cathar. There wasn't a single off day and with the increase of hostility growing faster than a Bantha it was more jobs to be filled.

It was true that the Empire had a near limitless supply of arms, but that didn't mean much to Lamar. He had drifted about the ranks and civilization for a month now and being stationed at any place for too long was little more than a dream. The Imperial Destroyer was just another ground his feet touched before being re-assigned to another base.

"So, tell me. Why are we doing this again?" Lamar questioned, his stormtrooper helmet resting under his rested arm. Five men grouping of troopers, ready to go through their routine inspection on the next shipload, occupied the lift.

"Because Corellia thinks it's alright to be independent with all those Trade Routes. At least that’s what the superiors tell us."

Lamar spat, his head shifting to the side. The beads dangling from the ends of his braids bounced against the hard exterior of his white chest-plate. A rustle rose about the other stormtroopers. The irritation of the repeated bead's beating had become worst since Lamar's arrival and it didn't seem like anything would calm the trooper's nerves.

"Frag! Why don’t you cut those flacking things?”

Before the caramel-complexioned trooper could answer the lift had creaked to a stop at its destination. All of the fleet quickly threw on their helmets, locking them in as they trotted out of the hold. Ships of all kind revealed themselves, as the lift's door was automatically unsealed. Freight ships, large shuttles and even the occasional small starship could be found lined across landing pads. A sea of white, armored soldiers rushed about the transports, ready to investigate and strip-search anything that moved. Lamar was no longer dazzled at the display as he once was, but it was still slightly interesting piece of organization. The Empire truly had an iron vice about the galactic realm, and it showed itself every day on the job.

"Requesting assistance from your commanded grouping, JK-316."

Lamar's comm. called out, the words echoing throughout his helm. Sharply pivoting, he stared at his collection of troopers and gave them signal. Heading off, the armored troops trotted toward their designated ship for a routine inspection. Lamar backtracked for a moment as his feet came to a standstill before the ship's un-hatched door. Memories of the signals and ethics on inspection flashed through his mind as he drifted forth into parked shuttle.

"Just another day on the job, boys. Just another day on the job."

[Hara Kiri]

"Oh." Thud "My" Thud "Gosh. Thud She said as she pounded her fist simultaneously. She poked her head in the pilot's cabin. "How much longer? I can't take it back here!" She crept in now. "Listen, I'm a girl with claustrophobic tendencies. Can't you pass that along and get them to skip us, or at least inspect sooner?"

"Miss Hara, please. There's nothing we can do. You're only making things difficult, can you take a seat in the back?" The regularly offensive dark haired pilot said and resumed his conversation with the co-pilot.

She sulked into the commons room and stared out the window again. The line was shorter now, only a few more ships to go. She didn't realize that when she had begun to bother the pilots. They could have just told her it was going to be done within a few minutes instead of telling her to leave them alone. So many people were very rude to her and she had no idea why. Stupid pilots... they hardly knew anything at all.

The ship pulled closer to the destroyer until it hovered under its hull. It slowly rose into the bay until the airlocks sealed beneath the transport ship. She heard the pilots talking in the cabin, verbally expressing their actions as they powered down the ship.

The air hatch hissed as it opened and landed with a clank on the deck. She looked over from her standpoint to see what it was they were goign to send in. Probably a droid or two. The white helmet of a stormtrooper looked in and gave her an icy gaze.

Her heart stopped.

Her face drained of its blood.

She placed her hand on her heart and backed away until she stood against the wall. Stormtroopers scared the absolute frack out of her. That skull-like helmet, the cold white armor. She said under her breath, "Please, just get it done and leave. Just leave..."

[Lamar Starworth]

The helmet latched nicely a top Lamar's head as he gazed deeply through the black lenses of his white lid onto a simple girl. She certainly had trouble holding her emotions; the display of distrust, slight anger and even a snippet of fear could be seen distorting her unique face.

A smile bared itself behind his skeletal helm, hidden under the cold exterior that was the stormtrooper armor. The smile soon faded as his mind centered on the business at hand. Even the slightest wrong step could succumb to a horrid death. A single face could never stop hatred, or the war.

"Move in," Lamar commanded. Throwing a two-finger point, he instinctively latched a strong grip around the handle of his standard issued E-II rifle readying himself for any wrong move. Dropping behind the five troopers of his unit. Scanning about, he quickly went over the expectations in the inventory scan.

The infantry swiftly motioned about, their maneuvers precise as the troops' blasters stayed pointed ahead in every pivot and turn. Over the months they had come to be accustomed with one another, and even the biggest situations couldn't fade their precision at this point. Even when one of the unit members had something else on their mind.

"JK-413, to the cockpit," Lamar whispered over the comm. "Miss, what is your name?"

Laughter could be heard over Lamar's intercom. This was definitely going to be story to be exchanged with the rest of the unit later.

[Hara Kiri]

She pointed her hands at her chest, still in shock and said, "Me?" She wasn't sure whether or not to lie, Jorshal did say if she ran into any officials to just be honest regarding everything except about the Sith Order. Their official position was that the Sith Order was really the Sith Historical Order, a group of students on Korriban doing field work. If she could skip the explainations, she'd be happy. "Oh, I'm Hara Kiri...?" She said with a tinge of uncertainty then gave her usual introductory speech. "And it's one name, not Hara, but Hara Kiri."

"Don't bother with her, sir." The dark haired pilot said from the cockpit. "She's been nothing but trouble. If you could just take her away, we'll be on our way." He laughed at his own joke and Hara Kiri gave him a grim stare.

"Don't listen to them." She sneered. "They've both been mean to me the whole trip."

[Lamar Starworth]

The squad listened, managing to keep a focus on their inspections. Big and small objects were carefully placed to the side and dug into for any suspicious subjects. There was not a single squad member not on the move, even Lamar as he paid careful attention to the newly introduced Hara Kiri and the pilot's conversation.

A clink could be heard echoing through the lull that over-took the small shuttle. Lamar kneeled down under Hara Kiri's seat, his blaster carefully pointed ahead as he investigated. Once again there was nothing, but it was certainly much more to gain than what was seen. The banter between the two shuttle occupants had led the squad leader into contemplation as he rode on his impulse to continue the routine inspection.

Lifting up from his kneel, Lamar glanced over at his fellow troopers. Once again pressing against the side of his helm, he initialized the intercom. inserted in the group's communicators.

"I got an idea, guys..."

A chuckle roared over Lamar's intercom as a response. Over the month the infantry had gained a brotherly bond, and even the smallest statement could signal laughter. They simply knew each other...it was the way of troopers. Bonds had to be made to maintain sanity in the brutal onslaught of war. Lamar could only smile under his Stormtrooper shell, proud of the profound friendship formed between them all. Quickly shifting his gaze, he looked once more through his darkened lenses upon the purple-haired lady.

"Miss. You are coming with us," He calmly said, leaving only a beckoning gesture to finalize his statement. The squad swiftly motioned about, the ruffle of their maneuvers heard over Lamar's command. They soon were outside, leaving Lamar to carry out his unofficial business.

[Hara Kiri]

"Come?" She said with uncertainty. "With you?" She rubbed her face and her breathing rate increased. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.." She whispered. "I'm not in trouble for anything am I?" She stuttered. "I mean, I didn't do anything wrong!"

Before the Stormtrooper could respond, the pilot interjected. "Sir, not to cause trouble, but is this absolutely neccessary? She can be fragile, if you have any questions, I can surely help." He wasn't fooling anyone, he had no genuine interest in the well being of Hara Kiri. He was self-interested, especially in regards to his own well-being. If the Elders at the Sith Order found out the pilots let Imperial officials take one of their members, it would be his head. Their instructions were to take Hara Kiri to Corellia, but also to make sure nothing bad happened. Both pilots were intent of meeting those objectives.

[Lamar Starworth]

"What did you say?" Lamar exclaimed with a voice horribly distorted by an sudden rush of anger. There was no time for the two voyagers to answer as the sudden rustle roared over any notion of response. Lamar's unit quickly took to motion, beating back up the steps with their blaster's ready.

Their swift maneuvers intensified, their grace worthy of praise. However the end result was far from graceful as the sound of blaster fire echoed throughout the shuttle. Bolts of fiery rage darted out of the standard issued EII rifles, piercing through the two pilot's skulls.

Behind the cold armor, the unit's leader smirked. Only for a moment was there pleasure in the rash events before Lamar grabbed Hara's wrist and yanked her ahead of him. A soft nudge pressed against her back, pushing he forward out the shuttle door.

"Unit. Leave evidence for the superiors to be satisfied with. Those damn Rebel pilots will never learn to shut their mouth."

Lamar drew his hand back, deactivating the infantry communication line. The commander pressed his eyes down onto Hara Kiri, taking note of her composure. Hopefully the day's fun would not end at the demise of two meaningless pilots.

[Hara Kiri]

OOC: Sorry about hte delay, Christmas break work is sucking up all my time.

IC: Horrified, Hara Kiri stood facing the cockpit with her arms limp at her side. Tears welled up in her eyes asshe whispered, "Oh Jeez. Oh fracking Jeez. Oh- Oh-" She began to sob and through blurry eyes she looked at the pilots, their necks sopping with blood from the shot to their heads.

She looked at the stormtroopers, their black eyes glaring at her, faces showing no signs of emotion.

Again, she stared at the pilots.

Blood.

So much blood.

Her vision increased in its haziness and her knees grew weak. Convulsions and shivers shook her shoulders and the last thing she could remember before her unconcious head sollided with the durasteel floor was that she was going to die.

[Lamar Starworth]

Confusion wiped over Lamar's face as he watched the frail woman hit the floor. The purple locks of her hair swung about as her weight became uncontrollable and bat against the durasteel with a whispering thud. Only seconds before she was normal, but it had become clear as she shivered in fear that she was uncomfortable with the killing. The war had tattered Lamar's perspective. Death was just another element of life that a soldier had to accept...but that wasn't true for civilian it seemed.

"Hey..." Lamar said, poking the unconscious lady. There wasn't a single flinch as he continued pushing away at her body. Swinging his blank helmet to the side, he gazed on his squad for assistance.

"Come on. Lets take her to sick bay. I'll clean up here."

[Hara Kiri]

Her eyes fluttered open but retreated to a squint in the bright light of the white room. Where was she? It smelled like a hospital, perhaps it was. White walls, white ceiling... She leaned over the edge of the bed, the plastic screeching as it rubbed against her skin. White tiles. A hospital for sure. She laid back down, resting her head against a cheap pillow as the past events rolled through her head.

They're dead. Both pilots, maybe she was dead? Was this the afterlife?

"Umm, hello?" She called meekly. Her eyes scanned the walls and door, nothing seemedto reply. "God?" Nothing. "Godsss" She emphesized the pluralization. "The Force?" A last ditch attempt. "Someone please? Anyone?"

[Lamar Starworth]

The shift was over and not a soul chirped in the mess hall. Couples walked silently through the dimly lit hallways, drifting off to their chambers. There was no night in space, but people still needed to sleep, or at least relax. This was not true for Lamar Winfield. Even as his comrades sat, reclined in their dorms, he was up and about. Nothing was ever complete; something always had to be done. Quickly he moved through the corridor, bumping through groups as he headed to the nearest lift.

Work had ended for much of the soldiers on his level, and it was only customary to get into casual attire. From head to toe Lamar was fitted in the formal wear. A side button, long sleeve black shirt grimaced over his dark gray pants with midnight boots. He was a man of caramel complexion, but with such clothing he could be mistaken for the darkest demon.

The outfit left a trail of numerous beings flinging tot he sides of the hall, pressing against the wall as he stomped down the path. Finally reaching the lift, he jumped in, pressing the button smoothly before another Imperial worker could come in. Business had to be taken care of and the ideal elevator conversations would not sidetrack him. Plus, the event was going to be an interesting one.

Taking to the lift to the medical floor, he checked up and took a gander upon his "patient". Much had come and gone since she had been shipped in. The bodies had been taken care of, and there was not the slightest question to be answered by Lamar's superiors. For him it was just another easy-going day in the hard-knock of a war-torn soldier. It was the little things that mattered anyways.

Moving slowly into the room, he was certain there would be a startled look upon the woman's face. During duties he had armor to shield his face from the numerous expressions that his victims put on display.

The cold exterior allowed him to keep cool as his suiting in the heat of actions. It was grade-A armor in every sense. There was no feeling under that white of the black Empire.

"Hey, there..."

[Hara Kiri]

No one answered her call. Perhaps she could just walk out, there was a door right in front of her. She pondered from her bed, debating where the door might lead. No better way than to find out, she concluded. She sprung from the bed and pushed on the door. The computer sensors should have recognized a body in front of the door, it should have opened... She looked at the side panel: LOCKED.

She sighed and looked around the room for another exit that she might have missed. Under the bed perhaps? She crouched down and stuck her head under the sheet that drapped over the edge. She could hardly see anything, but she could see enough to know the door was the only way in or out.

"Hey there..." A voice called out.

She lifted her head and it collided with the metal bed railing. "Ow!" She cried and pulled hersef out from under the bed. "Umm, hi. Who are you?"

[Lamar Starworth]

Lamar’s eyebrow arched with sheer confusion as he watched Hara Kiri’s head collide and pull out from under the bed. Very rarely was he surprise, much less taken-a-back. It was certainly unclear what exactly was going on about the room, but Lamar did not allow such a trivial emotion of puzzlement handle his voice box. Quickly, he motioned forth, his hands stuffed into his pockets as his composure shifted to a nonchalant.

"Name is Lamar. What are you doin' down there?" He said, letting a generous chuckle part from his lips. The generosity did not end there, however, allowing his gentlemen instincts to take over. Giving a helping hand, he grabbed her soft palm in hopes of pulling her up from the dirty floor.

[Hara Kiri]

She allowed him to help her up while she tried to explain. "I, um, dropped my.." She glanced at her hand. "My ring. Got it now though." She smiled.

She brushed the dust off her knees and kept smiling. Hopefully she might get some answers now. Find out why she was there and how long she was going to stay. "So are youa doctor? I mean, this is a hospital, right?"

[Lamar Starworth]

Glee monopolized Lamar's previously confused expression. The moment that she had come up with a quick excuse the atmosphere in the haunting room melted like hot wax. A feeling of respiration arose from within, leaving Lamar breathless at the unique moment. Very few came pass the life of a soldier and it was always the small things that seemed to matter most.

Running his hands down his side, he rested them in his pocket by impulse. Fiddling about with small objects and a bit of lint, he listened attentively as the woman spoke.

"I'm no doctor. Just an official," He began, taking a quick survey of the room. "This is a hospital though...

I'll be checking you out."

[Hara Kiri]

"Right then. We should go quickly, right?" She asked rhetorically and walked through the open door. "You're the official, lead the way."

The self proclaimed official began walking and Hara Kiri followed, quickly eyeing up the surroundings. She had to admit, it wasn't like any hospital she had ever been to, but it looked like one none the less. "So," She started. "Are we on Corellia yet or am I still in space? Because I haven't seen any windows and this place seems awefully big. It could be a large ship, or maybe just a large building." She rambled on as they walked. "I saw a program on the holo about hospital ships and though I've never been on one, I could tell from the show that they were much more frightening than the ordinary hospitals on planets."

"I don't like hospitals." She assured him regardless of whether or not he cared.

"But this one seems decent enough. I mean, I have a friendly face around, right." She nudged him. "In the twenty-two times I've been to a hospital, not including this one mind you, I have absolutely hated the experience but I've never had any visitors. So this makes for an unusual visit to the hosptial. Maybe I'm wrogn about hospital ships. I don't know, anymore. I just want to get our of here and go to Coronet and put it all behind me, no offense."

[Lamar Starworth]

A need to swing continued beating in the back of Lamar's head as it rumbled with her swig of words. She spat them out without hesitance, destroying any sense of silence that could have dulled Lamar's senses.

Instead he felt the ricochet of her vocal assault throughout his ears and dazzled at the continuous movement of her mouth. There was very few times that anything could be compared to Boba Fett with a blaster, but Lamar was certain this was definitely as deadly.

Finally a moment arose and a period dropped at here endless parade of paragraphs. A sense of ease ran over the soldier's body as his shoulders flopped down and he signed the last form. Taking amble toward the nearest elevator, he let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Yes. This is space. And you're coming to my room so that I can take you down to Coronet on my next shift tomorrow."

[Hara Kiri]

Surprised, she said, "Wait? I'm going to your room?"

"Oh." A tear welled up in her eye and she began to cry. In seconds it emerged into a full blown wail outside the elevator with patients and doctors alike staring.

[Lamar Starworth]

The eyes came, but not a single twitch came from Lamar. Not even a lift of the brow at the sudden emotional change, but it was quite clear that something had to be done before questions were being asked. Grabbing her up quickly, he took a step back into the lift. Jerking her as soft as possible, he closed the doors of the elevator.

A cold eye dropped on her as the elevator jumped up into its ride up. Lamar was certainly displeased by the act, and not a word from his mouth could express it. Instead of a verbal outrage, there was only his once childish duo turn to a fiery, demonic chill that pierced Hara Kiri until she seemed transparent to his horrific eyes.