The Stowaway

[Michael Cline]

The red-head took the offered hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Michael Cline, I'm... a guest of the Captain's I guess." He gave a subtle shrug to s'Ilancy as he released the handshake, not entirely sure how to describe the current situation.

He wasn't the 'new guy' - well he was but it was a temporary situation. He wasn't looking to switch his status as an Imperial citizen for one with the Alliance. Not that he was a fan of the Empire, it's just where all his stuff was.

[Jeremy Varin]

"Well Mr. Cline, I'd say welcome aboard," there was a rueful tone to his voice as he fished through one of the front pockets of his trousers, "... but I suspect our lovely ship has given you enough welcomes."

It was a poke at KHER, meant to hopefully diffuse the old droid's peculiar abilities in ruffling feathers.

Whatever he'd been searching for he found, and a small slip-of-a-box was pulled out. This he handed over to the Captain who took it with a nod.

"He's got a gruff attitude, but he's harmless, " a wink, "... for the most part."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She took the offering gladly, a thumb sliding open the thin lid and a finger from her free hand lifting up to slide out a doramine paper-tab. The lid was clicked shut once more, and she handed it back to Mr. Varin.

"Sometimes the curse of a centuries-old automaton is having to endure his eccentricities," came her addition to the shuttle pilot's assessment.

[Michael Cline]

He noticed the exchange between the pair, but said nothing. It seemed like a practiced motion so whatever the strip of paper had been was likely something the Captain asked for frequently - not likely anything to concern himself over.

The rest of the conversation left his chuckling softly, a nearly alien sound to him with how infrequently he found himself as relaxed as he was through all of this. This all felt... normal, even a little nostalgic for the days when his father had been a cargo captain and he'd help out on runs. Just friendly banter between friends.

"Don't worry about it," the red-head reassured, "I've just got a little... thing about droids. Not his fault and I'll try not to hold it against him."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

* * *

Ten minutes later found them firmly belted into their seats, with Mr. Varin up in the cockpit and finishing the last of his checks. There was a slight murmur to be heard, as he communicated with hangar control, but there was no way of discerning the particulars.

The main hold of the old nu-class shuttle had been redone to accommodate a more... comfortable ride. Gone were the thinly-padded trooper jumpseats, and proper passenger seating had been bolted in. The lockers had been shifted about so that supplies could still be stowed away, at least. Rations, survival gear, weapon lockers with extra ammunition storage, even a few datapads that'd been loaded up with thousands of novels and other entertainment; in the event that there was little else to do but wait.

With KHER choosing to stand himself along the far bulkhead, s'Il chose to use her time wisely. The doramine tab was placed on her tongue, and she leaned back as it dissolved into her mouth.

One hand came out then, to smooth down the front of her duty jacket.

"I never got to visit Scarif before it was burned, but I heard stories that it was stunningly beautiful."

[Michael Cline]

Mike could feel a knot forming in the pit of his stomach at the mention of the planet they were heading down to. Ever since he'd been left to stare down at it from the bridge of the ship it had felt like a cold hand twisting into his gut.

"I've seen pictures." He said quietly, hands folded together in his lap as he stared at the metal rivets that bolted his seat to the ship's interior. "Couldn't really miss them when it happened. Not on Coruscant, Empire tried to crack down on it, keep the people listening to the holonets for 'official information' - but you know how people are? Kids especially. You tell them not to do something, they're going to do it."

"All white beaches and blue tides." He said with a huff of breath, leaning back. "Told me everything I needed to know about the Empire back then. Keep my damn head down and mind my own business."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"A paradise lost," she agreed, a strange, half-lamenting tone weaving throughout her voice.

The muted chatter from above quieted to silence, and moments later the shuttle feathered up off the deck, shifting its orientation as it angled around for an exit vector from the hangar.

"Children are singularly bent on doing everything that they are asked not to," came her agreement to his earlier assessment, "... my daughter would be a text-pad example of that tendency."

[Michael Cline]

Mike's body lurched just a little as the shuttle began to move, an imperfection from the second-hand seats, it eased up quickly enough - a testament to the quality of the pilot.

He nodded his head in intimate understanding of what she was describing. He'd been one of those kids himself, his old man having hoped to straighten him out enough one day to bring him into the family cargo shipping business. He owned that business now, at least on paper. Even if it wasn't what his father had wanted for him... if none of this is what his family had wanted for him... at least it was a small thing he could hang on to.

"What's her name?" He finally asked, continuing the small talk.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Even though it was imperceptible to most, she could feel in the pit of her stomach the jarring switch from the larger ship's gravity out into the weightlessness of space. Thankfully the doramine was quick-acting, and quelled her rebellious gut.

"Teagan."

The Lupine smiled at the thought of her daughter, her memories taking her back to those old days on Cathar.

"She is on Ossus now, however. It is better and safer for her there. A warship is no place for a child, as much as I would like her to be here."

She should be back home, came the interrupting voice of KHER, ever determined to speak his mind.

At that, she could couldn't help the long, exhaled sigh and a bare rolling of her eye.

"He does not stop," was her chuckled mumble as a hand came up to rub across her brow. Determined to push her ship's interjection to the background, s'Il looked to Michael.

"And you? Any little ones?"

[Michael Cline]

The droid had an attitude, even with the Captain, that was unique. Captain s'Ilancy had described them as 'eccentricities' earlier, and that seemed to be quite accurate. What a strange crew it was.

"Not that I know of." he said with a laugh. "Haven't really had a lot of time to think about things like that." He rubbed the back of his neck and realized just how much of his life had been a desperate struggle for survival starting with his teenage years. "I'm married to my work, to be honest."

His work, which was acting as an enforcer and go-to for a criminal organization, he reminded himself. He still needed to be careful what he said. If he got too comfortable in his surroundings he could make a costly mistake.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

* * *
on scarif

The landing had been gentle, and Mr. Varin had refrained from lowering his pilot's chair so that the Captain and her charge could gather whatever effects they needed. The nose of the shuttle hissed open, slowly lowering down to allow the group of three the chance to exit.

"You will remain here, yes?" s'Il had paused, looking up to where the pilot's level remained locked above.

"Yes Ma'am. Looks like the landing pad here is pretty well deserted, so it's best one of us stays back to make sure no one pilfers anything."

She nodded in silent agreement, and gave a passing look to Michael before continuing the short trek down to terra firma.

It was a windswept landing pad, set into the ground. All around were the signs of desolation and even a few carcasses that had once been supply ships, but were now picked clean to leave only the bare bones of their frames. Ahead was a bunker, the blast doors pried open and revealing a cavernous black maw beyond.

KHER tromped up behind her, but thankfully said nothing for now.

In the distance was a toppled spire that no doubt had stood tall, before the terrible blast from the Death Star.

It was Fellspire, that much she knew.

It was also where the signal was coming from.

[Michael Cline]

Michael's head was killing him. A throbbing pain deep inside that seemed to originate somewhere in his stomach. It had grown the closer to the planet they had gotten. Now on the surface it felt as if he were being pressed from all angles and was struggling to keep himself standing. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he followed the Captain off of the shuttle and tried to push past the sensation that was clearly more than just a physical ailment. This place felt like grave dirt burying him.

He frowned as he stared at the devastated tower in the distance, and the detritus of what remained here.

"How very inviting." He commented low and sarcastic in the back of his throat.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The tone of his voice was enough to make her hesitate, and pulling up, the Lupine half-turned to regard him.

The efforts to push away pain was plain on his features, and a look of concern descended over her features as her head canted to one side.

"You are hurting," she spoke lowly, with conviction.

[Michael Cline]

Of course he couldn't hide anything from her, the Jedi are always... he blinked the thought away even as it came. She wasn't a Jedi, had told him as much, had shared her pain, so why could he do nothing but see her in the worst possible terms now? His head ached more as the thoughts remained muddy and thick.

"It's nothing." He tried to wave it off, "Just a headache."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A raised eyebrow, and the Lupine eventually gave a nod.

"Very well."

She would not press him to open up if he did not wish to, and instead chose to let the matter drop.

A gesture to the bunker's doors.

"One of the tram rails leading to the old spire," one hand went to absently swipe away any unseen dust on KHER's chest, the old droid merely looking down at her slender hand as it went about its motions.

"I'd recommend staying out of there, though. We can make our way along the outer side."

[Michael Cline]

Mike had to wonder what manner of thing they would have found inside the darkened cavern. Something worth working this frustrating pain out on. He would just have to swallow it down, ignore it, like he always did. His mood had turned darker though, and he knew it was obvious. The Captain knew too. She wasn't saying anything because she didn't care. Why would she he was just a...

He pushed it down again. The sooner he was off this planet the better things would be. His constitution was draining quickly. It felt too much like Fey'dann, like he was back in that hole digging out an artifact he'd never been allowed to touch. Taken from him by Ms. Sasseeri, stripped from him, it had been his and then... he swallowed it down again. He had to keep this in check, at least to see this through.

"We should get moving then." He finally managed, starting to walk without waiting for anyone else. He needed to get off of this planet.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She let him take the lead for now, as her own thoughts withdrew to focus on their immediate surrounding. The covered tram tunnel was half-buried in sand and desolation, and as the small group made their way from where the half-open bay door rested ajar, they each went up a small, sandy hillock. Cresting the ridge, the view of the tunnel was unimpeded now, and they could see it stretch out ahead to where the once-tall spire had stood; now it was on its side, crumbled in places, and dotted with bright colorings of vibrant tents. For as desperate and lost as those who lived on this planet were, at least they insisted on pulling color from nothing and putting it on display.

Even along the length of the tram tunnel one could see small outposts of color, of traders having set up shop, and even a few travelers resting in what little shade could be found from the high sun above. A slight yet persistent breeze could be felt, and the far-off murmur of chatter and conversation could faintly be heard in the distance. It was a deceptively peaceful sight, if one ignored the roots of why this world existed in its current form. If you ignored the lives lost here.

Pulling even with Michael, the Lupine set her pace to his.

"I think it best if I introduce us," she spoke matter-of-factly.

There was still time until they reached the first pocket of life along the tram tunnel, and she wanted to make sure that Michael understood her intentions.

[Michael Cline]

Things were not improving for the red-headed former Sith. In fact as they had gotten closer to what passed for civilization in this desolate waste the emotions on display from the locals had simply added another background noise to that he was unable to block out.

Boredom, excitement, joy, anger, fear, courage, laughter, sorrow, hope, desolation.

So many emotions, so many conflicting feelings. Normally he could ignore his natural empathy, or even pick through it to tune in to one emotion, but the crushing weight the planet left on him had stripped him of his control. It was all too much, too quickly.

The captain was saying something to him, in his ear about something. He waved her off, hoping that he was agreeing with whatever she'd been talking about enough to cease her addition to the noise that was splitting his head. "Sounds good." He mumbled absently, walking on with his eyes staring at the ground ahead of him, focusing on the rocks and sand in attempt to ignore the rest.

[Zela]

Life on the far outskirts of Fellspire was not easy. Nor was life in Fellspire, for that matter. But perhaps there was something to be said about having the enclosing metal walls around you that provided a bit more security than just... well, than just nothing but tents and sand.

And just as unusual as a day without hardship, was a day that a ship from the stars touched down.

Zela had watched, as had the rest of those in her small troop. They were travelers, hobbling from outpost to outpost, taking shelter where they could and eking out a living in the best way they knew how. Raiders were a constant threat, and also the reason why her small group of people had been reduced in size not three turns ago. Young Maru had fallen, as had Pol and Jaan. Refa was recovering from wounds, and his sister Reon spent all of her time tending to him as well as the others who'd been hurt. Coming across the tramline to Fellspire had been a boon, as the raiders never ventured close to the ruined city.

But, with a skyship having landed, and three bodies approaching, Zela watched from relative safety. One hand on Refa's brow, she let her single good eye peer through the tent flap at the three forms coming closer. Slowly, she pulled away and rose to her feet. Shuffling out into the open, she reached over to the long-pike leaning against one of the outer support poles, and taking it up, let out a long breath. Two steps brought her forward, with Kesh and Yuli at her side.

They were not the sort to please the eyes, as lives spent on Scarif were hardly unaffected in some manner. Kesh was missing an arm below his right elbow, which he'd fashioned a prosthetic vibro-blade for, and Yuli was a canvas of scars.

Zela herself was missing an eye, a nostril, an two fingers on her left hand.

No one on Scarif was untouched.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

He was preoccupied; one did not need the Force to tell that much.

But, as they approached the nearest tent that had been set up alongside the half-submerged tunnel, s'Il opted to focus on the three cautiously moving out to meet them.

A woman and two men, the woman at the head. Not a one of them looked like they lived lives of ease.

A terrible thought then, as the Lupine let her gaze take in the woman's face before idly thanking the Bloodline that her own facial deformity had not been so severe. It was a thought that was quickly quelled though, as she watched the others, noting the proud stance each held themselves with. These were survivors, and they carried their heads high with that knowledge.

As they neared, she held up both of her hands, palms out and up.

"We wish you no harm," she assured in an initial greeting.