Difference between revisions of "2406/Asteroid Solitaire"

Revision as of 02:26, 12 June 2015

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
The Rogue Shadow is not in orbit around Tatooine, as one might expect, but far away from it by now, hiding in the shadow of a somewhat distant asteroid belt. The light of the nearest star casts the asteroid and its passenger into shadow, concealing the ship even further; its cloaking system is too power-hungry to risk engaging, and the stygium crystals that power it can only be channeled in short bursts.

Having narrowly avoided another bounty hunter, and having done so with injuries sustained from the last bounty hunter chasing her, to say Juno Eclipse is in bad shape is probably something of an understatement.

She had eventually shooed Galen off to sleep, knowing that although physically unharmed, he was emotionally drained and still coming to grips with the prison ship full of horrible Force-sensitive things he had suffered from. Perhaps they hadn't harmed him, but he had felt their deaths on a personal level. Why, she hasn't yet figured out, although she has suspicions.

In the end, she's too weary and demoralised to even consider the options there. She had simply risked sending coordinates directly to Kyra, curling up in the pilot's chair to wait, trying very hard not to dissolve into an emotional wreck for the mental strain and physical pain; waiting, with very little patience, for the approach of another ship.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
Little does Juno know, Kyra is already well on her way. She received the tip off and a set of coordinates into the Tatooine system pinpointing Juno and Galen. By the time Juno sends the coordinates, Kyra's already nearly there and only had to apply a little bit of course correction to the Rafflesia to get the exact spot needed. It's probably better that Juno's transmission doesn't need to travel that far to reach the white mage's ship.

Kyra hails the Rogue Shadow promptly so Juno is aware of her approach. "Rafflesia to Rogue Shadow, requesting permission to board."

She's already packed out with her usual healing gear, anxious, but not overly so. Juno was healthy enough to complain at Galen so that was a good sign.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Silent and dark, the Rogue Shadow has no exterior lights to give it away. Its interior lights are dimmed for the sleep cycle, simulating the ship's artificial night, or perhaps just to give its crew some measure of peace. It's dark and still, and with Galen finally convinced to go get some rest of his own and his droid busy performing self-maintenance, that leaves only Juno awake.

She doesn't quite sink into the chair, unable to relax for the pain that lances through her sides and her arm, but she does keep her eyes on the sensor readings. Nothing—

—and there's the hail. Even without it, she would have known, watching for any sign of disturbance in the otherwise quiet sprinkling of asteroids. Juno reaches forward, wincing, to touch the comm controls. The line crackles when she opens it, and she keeps things brief, preferring to keep communications as dark as possible.

[Rogue Shadow to Rafflesia. Permission granted. Head forward to the cockpit.]

She'll wait, there, braced against her chair and watching the sensor board dully. Sleep sounds like a wonderful idea, but she simply can't afford to do that. There's still too much to do, and with the ship still crippled...

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
As far as objects in space go, the Rafflesia is pretty distinctive. Originally a Hylotl ship, it sports woody outgrowths that were unbothered by the harsh cold of space. The red triangles along the fins, turns out, are painted with reflective paint and shimmer like the scales of a fish when light strikes them at the right angle.

With the needed exchange complete, Kyra sets her ship to autopilot and steps into teleporter to transfer herself to the Rogue Shadow – presumably without problems or running into defensive mechanisms or shields. The hail was critical for this. Once aboard, the white mage makes her way to the cockpit, already priming her white magic as she moves. "Juno!" she calls out, "Hi! Let me see your shoulder, we need to take care of that pronto."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Although the lights are dim, there's still enough light to find one's way from one side of the ship to the other. It's just a bit darker than one might expect, with deep shadows stretching from the far reaches of the corridors. Bulkheads to other areas of the ship remain shut as Kyra passes them, where otherwise they might whisk open automatically.

Aside from the natural low-power state of ship's night, it's not hard to see that there are measures being taken to conserve the ship's power. That's another thing that's been limited. The Rogue Shadow's sublight engines run on wonderfully efficient fuel cells, as does its sophisticated hyperdrive, but even those cells will exhaust themselves eventually.

And she's not sure how long they're going to have to keep running. For the rest of their lives, knowing the tenacity of the Empire.

Juno doesn't get up immediately when Kyra comes tromping into the cockpit. It's neither roomy nor claustrophobic, with a left-hand pilot's chair, which Juno is slumped in, and a right-side co-pilot's chair. The space in front and above and between those chairs is absolutely full of a dizzying array of instrumentation, all soft red lights and quiet, subtle beeping as the ship cycles through automated processes. Detailed readouts on the ship's critical systems can be seen on the co-pilot's console, while the ship's physical controls and sensor readout are located in front of Juno.

She looks up, somewhat dully, and finally manages to leverage herself out of her chair with a sound more like a whimper than anything else. "Thanks for coming." Her voice cracks, but she ignores it. "I'm not sure which hurts more; shoulder or ribs. I'm fairly certain at least one of them, maybe two, are broken." Seriously, that armour was heavier than a rancor. "I'm not sure how she was able to move in that."

To say she looks like hell would be a diplomatic way of putting things. She looks drawn and haggard, a degree or two paler than even she should be; lines of tension around her eyes from the constant pain and anxiety. She still manages a wan smile. "Welcome aboard the Rogue Shadow. You're the first non-Confederate person to see the inside of this ship."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
That the ship is completely dark is not much of a surprise to Kyra. Lower emissions likely made the craft harder to detect which is something that Juno and Galen definitely wanted at the moment. Her eyes adapt gradually as she moves through the ship to the cockpit.

A critical eye is given to the pilot and a wince follows. Well she definitely looks a lot worse than she did when Kyra examined her last time. Unsurprising since she had two scuffles since then, one with Sanary.

"She's been training, maybe in school." Kyra says as she moves to examine Juno's arms – both of them now. "Though I never would have expected her to be capable of wearing heavy armor and using fighter weapons. Typically healers don't do that. I mean, some do, but they're not really predispositioned for it." Reaching out, Kyra feels Juno's arms and shoulder gently to see if there's actually a dislocation or a break.

If it's a dislocation, she'll warn Juno to grit her teeth for a moment as Kyra pops the bone back into its socket. If it's just a break, Juno gets treated to gentler (fully functioning!) white magic.

"What? I am? The Flotilla Flee has never been on here before?" she looks a little shocked, "Unless they're secretly feds or something but I doubt it. It's nice...hopefully I can see it again later with the lights on."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
The pilot is mostly cooperative, letting Kyra examine her however she needs to. She winces whenever her arm has to move against resistance, gritting her teeth audibly. That in itself suggests she must be in considerable pain, more so than she might otherwise want to let on. "I guess that makes some sense. I don't think I could move around in that sort of nonsense, myself. Even the relatively light plastisteel of a stormtrooper would be awkward to me."

"Then again—" She winces, audibly, but the good news is that it seems to be less of a break and more of a dislocation, probably aggravated by spending two days and two fights untreated. She sets her jaw, and sucks in a breath of pain as shoulder and arm are forcibly returned to their proper configuration. Dislocations suck. They suck a whole lot. Fortunately, they suck a lot less than a messy fracture or a clean break, and aside from momentary discomfort, they're easily treated.

She breathes for a few seconds, mastering herself before she tries speaking again. It's not a particularly bad pain, but between injuries and exhaustion, her body is rapidly complaining at the abuse it's been put through recently. She slumps against her chair. "No. They're not Feds, not that I'm aware of. If they are, they're better infiltrators than I could ever give them credit for."

"I couldn't allow anyone aboard while I was still with the Feds. I was under Imperial order; the ship's inner workings were considered under strictest Imperial confidance, despite its alliance with the Confederacy." Juno reaches up to rub at her face, weary. "Now that I'm no longer part of the Empire, I see no reason to uphold that particular agreement."

She glances aside, offering a faint smile. "I can turn the lights on, if you'd like to see. I can give you a tour of the ship. It won't disturb Galen; the crew quarters are on separate controls. What do you say? Five-credit tour? It isn't like I have company very often, these days, you know."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
"I had a feeling it might have been a dislocation." Kyra says after the bone is popped back in. Immediately afterwards, Kyra produces brown pills from one of her pouches, which she identifies as painkillers. They're offered to Juno. "I was sort of considering instructing Galen through putting it back in but I didn't want to risk diagnosing it wrong without being able to see it."

She continues with a few additional minor healing spells, touching Juno's ribs to mend them and the other arm in case that was really broken. "Hopefully they're not because I'd get in serious trouble if I wound up working for 'feds. Being a Union ally and all." It's not something that she's tried to hide very much either. Past experiences have revealed that the 'feds are pretty aware of who she is at that.

"Oooh, so your ship is super top secret. No wonder it's remained in one piece after being captured." Kyra taps her chin, then grins as she finishes up the last bits of bone mending and internal injury erasure. "Ooh! Sure, I'd love a tour. This can go on auto-pilot, right?"

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kyra's pretty excited about this.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"I've had that shoulder broken before, but not dislocated. I must say I have no desire to repeat the experience," Juno grumbles, shutting her eyes for a moment. An offer of painkillers is enough to bring her back around, and she takes the proffered pills, swallowing them dry and grimacing. Those are bitter, but she's had worse, and it's better than the alternative.

She moves her arm experimentally, wincing slightly, but more out of remembered pain than actual trouble. Having fredom of movement again is certainly nice. "I'm glad you didn't, because if it was broken, I'm fairly certain the pain would have made me pass out. And while Galen can fly the ship, he's not exactly what I'd call a specialised pilot."

"Ghh." It's a quiet sound of anticipated pain when Kyra reaches for her ribs, but rather than pain, what she gets instead is healing.

The sudden absence of pain brings her to let out a great breath of relief, the sound unspeakably weary. Maybe at some point she might get a few hours of actual restful sleep, with that pain out of the way; she can lie on her side without having to suffer a stab of agony every few seconds.

"Hopefully they're not, because I expect there might be another double-cross in the cards, if that were the case. I think I've had quite enough of that nonsense to last me the next lifetime or three. I appreciate the help, believe me. And if you're a Union Ally, that's good to know. It's too dangerous for me to offer to act too openly right now, with so much heat and pressure on us, but Galen and I are willing to offer the Union our help wherever we can." She looks up to Kyra, levelly, but then shrugs. "If I'm going to do the right thing, I might as well go all the way. Besides, the Empire and the Confederacy already want my head on a pike. What's another job or two for the opposition?"

She beckons for Kyra to follow, making her way aft, and the way she moves suggests that healing's had immediate effect. She moves much more freely, as though she weren't crippled or in debilitating pain with every movement or breath. It must be a huge relief on the pilot.

"Come on. I'll show you. The prison ship was bount for Mustafar, which is a volcanic hell of a planet out in the Outer Rim territories. It's where Jedi and prisoners go to conveniently disappear, and if we'd been permitted to reach it, I have no doubt that the Rogue Shadow would have been dropped into the magma. Even durasteel can't withstand that much heat." She sighs. "Yeah. It can. I can't leave the cloaking device active, but it can navigate itself if I've provided coordinates ahead of time. Since we're only idling, we'll be fine for now."

"And if you need to share any of this information about me or this ship with the Union..." She shrugs. "I don't mind. They've already proven themselves quite willing to help me, for which I'm grateful."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
"Don't worry." Kyra says reassuringly, "Resetting the shoulder was the worst part. From here it's all downhill." White magic on its own certainly doesn't hurt. No needles, no prodding, just life and regeneration. "Hopefully you can get some recovery time to that too. Sleep will help."

Why yes, she will take the opportunity to push sleep!

"I like the Fleet. I don't think they'd double cross you, honestly, not after what Pavo said about loyalty the other day. Unfortunately I don't think they can hide you now either...err, oh, well, you're a member of the Fleet so we help each other, right?" She grins as she finishes up the last of the healing. Between that and the painkillers, Juno should soon be feeling the best she has in days, maybe over a week.

"I can pass on that message to the Union, then. I can't say I know much about joining it from the other side but I get the sense it's kind of a big deal? Some of the bigwigs will probably want to interview you. But...I think it might be good. You know, for protection."

She steps back so Juno can get up out of her chair. Hey, at least she's not in pain anymore! White magic won't deal with extreme tiredness, though, which Juno may have to contend with. "Do you think the Union needs to know the details about your ship? I mean, yeah, I'm their ally and all but maybe you don't really need to tell them every detail. What do you think you should pass onto the Union, actually, would be the better question."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"That's good to know." Juno doesn't sound very reassured, but she also doesn't handle physical pain very well. Pain tolerance is more of her companion's specialty. The Jedi and the Sith have remarkable capacity to power through hideous injury, and so does the grey area between that Galen lingers in. She, however, is wholly mortal. Ordinary. "I wouldn't count on that, though. Someone's got to fly the ship, and in case you hadn't seen it on the way in, my starboard sublight is still toast."

"You can thank T-elos for that, from our initial escape from the Vergesso field. I still haven't had the opportunity to really dig into repairs." Sighing, she rolls her good shoulder in a fatalistic shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not. I think it might be a little foolish of me to trust anyone too closely, right now. Galen and I are on our own. It may be better that way."

She shakes her head. "If I join, it's not going to be any time soon. And if I do, if they even find it in themselves to offer me the opportunity, I wouldn't want to be associated with them publicly. What few Confederates don't want to kill me right now might well join that number if I associated with the Union openly, I'm afraid... but at the same time, I want to offer my assistance. We could do good, for them, and for so many people."

"My next order of business will be to find the Rebel Alliance. I believe Galen and I could offer them our services, as well, although I hardly expect them to accept that offer. We've done a lot of damage to them, over the years." She smiles a little bleakly. "We're racking up quite a few burnt bridges, you know?"

She makes her way slowly to the aft, where the corridor leads towards both the entrance ramp that Kyra had taken in, and also the commons and meditation chamber. It's the commons that she heads for, the closest thing that approaches for a living space aboard the modified transport. "Maybe not, but if it's something that becomes relevant, you have my permission to pass on the information."

"Hmm." She slows to a halt inside the commons, folding her arms gingerly over her chest – expecting pain that isn't there – and leaning against the open bulkhead. "Messages, mostly. It's not safe for me to use the broadband. I'd like to meet with Lowri, so if you could pass on a message for me, I'd be very much appreciative. I haven't had the opportunity to thank her for her help. Have her meet me at the Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse tomorrow afternoon. That place is neutral ground, and I've used it before. I'm careful; I shouldn't come to any harm, there."

Fingers drum against the opposite forearm, thoughtful. "Otherwise, I'm not certain. I'm too tired to think," she adds, plaintively. "I feel like I'm forgetting something important. Well, this is the commons. It's the closest thing to a living space Galen and I have. The crew quarters are there, that door forward on the starboard wall. I'd show you those, but I'm not certain if Galen is sleeping or meditating."

"If he's meditating, he's over there." She gestures to the other side of the hallway back from the cockpit, to the closed bulkhead on the starboard corridor. "I don't go in there without asking. The meditation chamber is his space." She tilts her head to the other side, frowning as she considers. "I feel like there's something I should be telling the Union, but bloody hell if I can think of what..."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
"So about that. Um. What's a starboard sublight...?" Kyra asks sheepishly, revealing just how little she knows about spaceship engineering. She tries to think just how much time Juno would have had for repairs but she finds herself unable to really come up with numbers. Just that they've been on the run since.

Growing quiet, she looks at Juno, worried. "It may be better to do so sooner than later. You've been able to flee so far but you can't run forever. Unless we can find somewhere for you to go that the bony fingers of the Empire can't reach. Somewhere that the Fleet can watch out for you..."

Figiting with her hands, she does nod, "It is possible to aid them without being members, though." she suggests. "With proper setup at least." No, she won't admit to certain black ops groups existing. That's just not done. "Keep on track with that Kyle guy, I say, he can steer you in the right direction, especially with the Rebel Alliance." Her thoughts drift to the earlier incident she responded to where the 'feds knocked over a who rebel outpost that Kyle was located at.

As Juno starts both the tour and listing off what she might want to pass on to the Union, Kyra pulls out her mPhone and starts making small notes to herself. "Meet with Lowri at the Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse. Right. Huh, I wasn't aware that place fell under neutral territory. All the better! hopefully you can go unharassed for a day?" She smiles and puts the phone away so she can look around and soak in the tour.

She looks from here to the indicated meditation space to back to Juno. "Whatever it is...maybe you should try some meditation to find the answer?" It doesn't sound like a joke, coming from Kyra at least.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
The blonde pilot seems to trail off for a moment, as though she were only now realising she's talking to a person who's probably never dealt with a starship in their life before. Or, at the very least, unfamiliar with the nautical terms from which much of starship terminology was derived from. Few planets hold aquatic navies, of course, but the language is the same.

"Oh. Sorry." Juno allows herself a faint, sheepish smile. "I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I? Ships are divided into four relative directions, because you can't use compass directions. There's forward, which is always towards the ship's nose or prow. Port is to your left, if you're facing the prow. Starboard is right, facing the prow. And aft always leads to the rear of the ship. Sublight is an engine that can't travel faster than the speed of light. In the case of the Rouge Shadow, this ship actually has three engines: Port and starboard ion sublight engines, which are used to get around in orbit or atmosphere of a planet, and the hyperdrive, which is used to travel faster than light. So, 'starboard sublight' means the ion engine on the right side of the ship."

She gestures loosely towards the right side of the ship. "You can actually see the damage from outside. I'm lucky there was never a hull breach from that kind of structural damage, and I suppose the only thing that's saved it from such was some emergency improvisation on my part. Every time we find a place out in the middle of nowhere on the astrogation charts, I stop and try to do what repairs I can. Obviously this place won't work because I haven't got any kind of protection against the vacuum, but when we find habitable space I try to do what I can. It's a bloody long way to go, though."

Leaning against the open bulkhead, she looks up, considering. The overhead lighting of the commons only seems to accentuate the deep shadows under her eyes. "Mmm. Maybe. But I should also note that this Souji Murasame fellow is also part of the Fleet, and his intentions are much less altruistic towards my ship, my companion, or myself. I cannot trust any communications on the Fleet frequency any longer. Maybe the Core Fleet wouldn't take action against me, but he will. He's proven that well enough."

"His corporation is quite interested in that bounty, it would seem, although I can't imagine why. With a corporation that large, he can't exactly be hurting for credits." She rubs at the side of her jaw, thoughtful. "I suppose it'll be made clear in time, or it won't. Either way, I've got to consider him and his Murasame Zaibatsu – that is what it is, isn't it? I'm afraid I don't quite recall the name; I'm very tired – a hostile entity at this point, for my own safety, and Galen's."

She looks back to the hallway, where the meditation chamber's door lies shut. For a fleeting instant, those lines of stress and worry under her eyes almost seem to deepen, as though she were letting that brave face of hers slip. By the time she looks back around to Kyra, though, she manages a smile. "Maybe. There's a flaw in that hypothesis, though. Even if the long shadow of the Empire can't reach a given place, there are plenty of bounty hunters, particularly Elite bounty hunters, who have no problems going where they can't." Her tone is one of forced cheer. "It really is difficult to hide that thoroughly, especially when you're needing repairs, supplies, and sleep."

The smile drops. "The reality is simple. If I stop running, we'll be caught. And I can't afford to be caught. If Vader manages to get hold of Galen, the terrible things he might do to him are the stuff of nightmares that I frankly don't even want to imagine. It's the principle of breaking free of his grasp – while I can't speak with confidence for Vader, I can imagine that Vader can't stand that. And if he gets hold of me, well, he was ready to send me on a prison ship to Mustafar. He has no use for me alive. My death will only serve to push Galen into the Dark Side, without any hope of redemption."

"That's right where Vader wants him." Those lines seem to creep back into her face; this really seems to bother her. "I cannot let that happen. I can't. I will not be responsible for Galen's fall, however indirectly. And I refuse to allow that miserable masked bastard that kind of satisfaction. So we really don't have a choice, and I really can't afford to trust anyone too deeply right now; not when there's the potentiality of a leak with Murasame Zaibatsu through Flotilla channels." She smiles, a little helplessly. "I'll be honest. The only reason I'm trusting you right now is because I have no choice. If I'd kept on with those injuries, I'd probably have worked myself right to death. Actually, it's possible I may still. It'll just take a little longer, now..."

Drifting into the room and over to a bolted-down table, Juno slumps into one of the chairs. She rakes her fingers through her hair, a gesture of absolute weariness; one that suggests she's rapidly approaching her threshold for all of this nonsense. She lets out a long breath of a sigh. "And I'm worried about Galen. He hasn't even had a chance to recuperate from any of this, and it's as much or more of a strain on him than it is for me. Those prisoners aboard that ship... they had some kind of connection to him. Something to do with the Force. I don't know what it means, but I recognise Vader's hand in something when I see it. The only question is how, and what..."

"I guess it doesn't matter right now." Juno shakes her head. "I'll figure it out later, when I'm not so tired. I can't even think straight."

When Kyra suggests it's possible to aid the Union without membership, she looks up, fixing a pale blue eye on the white mage. "Hm. I think I understand what you might mean, and that could be a possibility. I won't pry for any more details. I know there are certain things you can't talk about." She smiles, thinly. "I was in that position myself, not too long ago." The smile fades. "It's too soon, though. I wouldn't blame them a bit if they didn't trust me. If they saw my official Imperial record, they wouldn't, either. I've done enough that I have no right to ask anything of them, or anyone else."

She sighs, dropping her head into her hands again and closing her eyes. "Kyle. I'll keep that in mind. He must have been that Jedi who came to our rescue against that strange gunman. I believe I've met him before; his voice sounds terribly familiar to me, although I can't quite place where." Juno laughs, a sound more of hopelessness than anything else. "I'm afraid a lot of details are escaping me, lately."

"The Bar and Grill? It does," she adds. "I'm to understand there's some sort of security system that engages if hostilities are detected, although I'm not certain what the details are. I've never seen it engaged. I'm not sure I want to find out what that entails, either, considering it's got to be something strong enough to put down the most powerful of Elites. I suppose the details are kept intentionally vague. After all, in some regards, imagination can be so much worse than reality." She grins, a little wanly. "They have incredible food, though."

When Kyra suggests meditation, she glances back to the closed door, folding her hands in front of herself as she twists. That she can move that way is a silent pleasure; an hour ago, she would've been closer to crippled. She sighs, shaking her head as she straightens. "I'm afraid that's not a very good idea. At this point, I've pushed myself so far, I have a feeling I'd fall asleep if I tried something like that. It's all I can do to stay awake. I have no doubt that, somewhere behind us, there's an Imperial detachment in search of the Rogue Shadow; perhaps they're not swift, or particularly cunning, nor bounty hunters, but they're there. The Empire doesn't lightly let go of what they consider theirs. And it seems Vader has at least a passing interest in toying with us, if nothing else."

"Sorry, Kyra." She smiles, apologetically. "I'm afraid it won't be that easy. Whatever it is, it'll come to me, and I can always contact you if I need to pass on any other messages."

Falling quiet, she studies the girl for a moment, before smiling again. "You seem to be alright, so..."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
In the case of Galianda, there is a navy or two – just not on her plate so it isn't something she's had to deal with on a daily basis like her Levianti friends have. "My world doesn't have space travel." she says sheepishly by way of explanation. "So you need to break this stuff down a lot for me to get it." Juno launches into an explantion about ship directionality and she's quick to supply: "Oh, i know the ship directional stuff...the sublight thing..."

Okay, now Juno gets into the things that she's not all that familiar with. Such as the engines and how they function in regards to ship travel: "Ohh, I see, but you can still go into hyperdrive like you said earlier."

Kyra's eyes narrow at the name of Souji Murasame. "He's less a member and more a backer. Have you ever seen him come with us for any of the stuff we've done? I sure haven't. He's just a businessman with an investment. As for why...money. Just money. Even if it's a little, that's probably the motivation. All the Ramuhan megacorps are all the same. They'd slit their mama's throat's for a nickel."

Slowly she frowns. The thought of being followed by a bounty hunter looking for Juno and Galen was not lost on her at all but not one she voiced openly out of fear that Juno might shut her out for safety.

As Juno grows upset over Vader pushing Galen to the dark side with her deaath as a very real possibility, Kyra grows quiet, a look of sympathy on her face. "You've got nothing to worry about from me. I don't do bounties and I'm no lapdog of the Murasame Zaibatsu. I am loyal to the Fleet, not their backers."

A nod of affirmation comes from Kyra at Kyle's identity. "He also opinted me in the right direction to find you here." Here being the big vastness of space. "Then sleep! You seem to be having trouble remembering things now. Bug Galen. Make him pilot for a while. He should understand since he's in this with you."

Stubbornly, she sticks her fists on her hips. "If anything, after all this? You've earned some sleep. Wake that lazy space wizard up and make him pilot. I don't think the world will end if he watches an idling ship."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Yeah, exactly." Juno smiles. "See? You're not a hopeless case. I'll teach you to be a starship engineer yet. You'll be improvising systems right beside me by the time I'm through with you." It may be forced optimism, but it's still nice to have a momentary distraction; something that isn't her current predicament. As tired as she is, she can almost forget about that.

"Maybe. I only heard the name in association with the company. It's not something I know very much about, so by all means, I welcome any clarificaiton you can give. All I know for certain is that I'd best avoid anything to do with the Murasame Zaibatsu right now." She flicks one hand dismissively, resting her chin in the other cupped hand, blowng out a sigh. The breath flutters her hair, some of which has come loose from the simple horsetail she's taken to wearing it in. "I can't trust any communications where Murasame might overhear; it seems even the Flotilla's frequency isn't safe for me."

Leaning forward over the table, she stretches until joints pop; despite her grimace, the expression seems to be one of satisfaction. That pilot's chair is comfortable and padded, but that only mitigates so much when somebody spends as much time in it as she has, lately. She folds her arms over the table, resting the side of her face over crossed arms. "Kyle? Well, that's good. He knows where I am. I'll have to fix that straight away. While it's good to know that he seems to be on my side, I'm not about to let anybody know where the Rouge Shadow is for too long at a time. It's not safe."

"It's not that simple." Those pale blue eyes track somewhat blearily back to Kyra. "He's... I don't want to burden him any more than he already is. He's as tired as I am. We're both exhausted, and..."

She trails off, still watching Kyra as the healer adopts a stance of defiance. For a moment she almost seems ready to protest a little further, but something about Kyra's vehemence stays her course, and she lays her head down, closing her eyes. "Yeah. We can sleep in shifts. I could have PROXY – Galen's droid – watch the controls, as he does know how to fly the ship, but that's another added complication. Let's just say he has a few problems that need to be worked out before I can fully trust him."

For starters, she's not entirely certain that all of his Imperial subroutines have really been scrubbed out. Then there's the sticky wicket of his primary programming, which is to kill his master; in this case, Galen. While that's all fine and good for training purposes, since he's never really a huge threat to Galen, right now he and Juno are both worn down considerably past their usual tolerances. All it would take is a careless mistake for the droid to finally achieve his primary programming... it's not something she particularly enjoys thinking about.

Juno doesn't answer right away, but she issues another one of those soul-weary, resigned sighs. "Yeah. You're right. I'll see if we can't rest on shifts, for the time being. What we really need is safe harbour, but I don't think that exists right now. Not unless we turn to the Union more blatantly, as refugees, but I suppose if we go running to the Union, they reserve the right to try us as war criminals. It'd be within their right, after the things we've done. And if the Confederacy wasn't howling for our blood then, they certainly would be after that. No, I suppose that's too dangerous."

"Bloody hell." She manages a frustrated sound in the back of her throat. "I don't mind so much, being forced to go without rest or to run. But watching Galen worrying... some days I feel like that's more than I can bear to watch. He's so afraid, Kyra. Not for himself. For me. There's no two ways around the fact that I'm a liability to him. He can defend himself, and I'm confident he could even hold his own against the likes of Vader, if it came down to it – but I can't. I'm just an ordinary person. Sure, I can fly a starship, and I can dogfight in a starfighter better than most. But I'm ordinary. Mortal. I can't wield the Force. I can't heal myself. I can't avoid injury." She huffs another sigh, screwing her eyes shut. "I want to help him, to ease his burden, but I don't know how."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
"...hee, that'd be awesome. We'll get the Rafflesia all riced out and fast. Maybe put some more defenses on it." The excitement does not fade, still the same fresh excitement from when they first stole the ships from the Avian pirates. "You promise, right?" It's a little trick, really. Make sure Juno had something to look forward to besides running from the Empire all the time.

There are nothing but sour looks on Kyra's face when the Zaibatsu is mentioned. "The Flotilla's frequency is not safe. A person like Souji takes advantage of any and all information he comes across. If he has any interest in continuing to pursue the bounty then he'll definitely be paying very close attention to the Flotilla. As much as I hate to say it...since you're a member! You should be able to talk and party with us freely! It's...unfair." And in that moment, Kyra sounds very childish. Like a typical teenager angry with the world.

Undeterred, Kyra continues to stare Juno down, firmly convinced that Galen needs to pull his weight and pilot before Juno works herself to death. She suggests PROXY but Kyra is blissfully unaware of the issues buried in the droid's programming. But gradually, her firm, stoic resistance fades as Juno looks even more weary than she's seen her these past few weeks. She reasons through the problems with turning to the Union – problems that Kyra couldn't help but agree with. But what really gets her, though, is Juno's admission that she can't really do anything.

"No—wait." She reaches out to grab one of Juno's hands. "Those are all great things you can do. And just because you're a mortal doesn't mean you're useless. What are you to Galen? Are you two an item or something? Because having a loved one around through rough times is like one of the best positions you can be in for getting through it. He spends all his time meditating on this prison incident...but has he actually talked to you about it? Like...really talked? If not, offer to do that."

Kyra lets go of Juno's hand, her expression changing suddenly. "...Yuri. Yuri Stintson. He said he'd help you, right? Call on him. Call on him to guard you while you rest and recover. I recently healed him so he should be in good shape to hold vigil over you guys while you rest. I don't think he has a base he can harbor you in but I know he can give you some peace."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"I can do whatever you want to do to it, within reason. The Starling-class vessels are remarkably adaptable ships. It took me some time to get used to how they work beneath the panelling, but once I did, it was fairly easy for me to make changes to the Slice Hound." Juno half-grins, though the expression is a little tired. "It's kind of theraputic, in a way. Technically, ship maintenance was part of my job description, as an Inquisitorial pilot, but I've always enjoyed it."

She glances over to Kyra, crisp blue eyes searching for a moment. It's endearing the way Kyra seems to be trying to throw her things to look forward to, but her smile is ultimately apologetic. "I can't make that promise. I can't even promise that I'll make it through each day as they come. But, I can tell you I'll try to focus on it, once things cool down a bit. It's something I'd like to do." She gestures with one hand. "I've already adapted one of the Core Fleet's ships. It's possible I could incorporate a few tricks from the Rogue Shadow into the Rafflesia, so long as the hardware is compatible."

"No, it's not." Juno's agreement is soft, and after a moment she shakes her head, pushing herself to her feet. She's proud of herself when she only staggers slightly, making her way to what looks like a supply cabinet bolted to the wall, opening the door and rummaging around a bit. Pulling out what looks like two ceramic mugs, she fetches a handful of something that can't quite be seen, possibly tea or coffee, and makes her way across the commons to what looks like a very small and basic kitchen suite – the makings for hot water and maybe one small stove-equivalent; nothing fancy, and possibly something she insisted on installing herself to improve quality of life on those long, lonely hyperspace flights to and from missions.

Coffee is not one of those things she's ever been willing to sacrifice.

A few moments after the sound of pouring water, the rich smell of tea wafts through the commons, and Juno returns to the table with a mug in each hand, setting one of them down before Kyra. It smells distinctly herbal, very possibly something meant to calm the nerves of the imbiber. "Here. I'm sorry, I forgot to offer something earlier."

She wraps her hands around the mug, apparently not caring about the heat—

One of her hands is seized. Juno looks down almost languidly, blinking somewhat owlishly at the hand clasped around her wrist. Slowly, pale eyebrows arch. What? "It's less that I'm useless, and more that I'm a liability in the context of the situation." Her other hand circles around to pat Kyra's, companionably. "When you're tangling with forces like Vader, it's not a good idea to overestimate your own capabilities. It isn't necessarily that Vader's strong on his own, although I'll be honest and say that he is, but that he's a plotter."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Vader is cunning," she says softly, returning her hand to her mug, "and Vader is persistent. He spins webs, and he gets other people to do his work for him, playing one side against the other. That's partly what makes him so dangerous. The best thing I can do is continue doing what I've always done for Galen – pilot the ship, and keep our necks off the chopping block. Or our throats out of Vader's invisible grasp." Rumours of demotions via Force-choking are probably rampant among the Rebel Alliance.

She lifts her eyes to Kyra, studying the healer for a long moment as she withdraws her hand. Although she doesn't give an answer, the faint smile she shows at 'loved one' probably says everything hse needs to don the subject.

"Is it that obvious?" She sighs. "I know. And he has taken his fair share of piloting. It isn't necessarily that I haven't had time to try and rest, but... it's difficult when you have half the galaxy standing in line for a chance at your head on a pike, you know?" One hand raises, wobbling slightly, and she finally pauses to take a sip of tea. "It's hard to settle. I'm running low on sedatives, and I don't want to rely on those too much. If I'm rudely awoken, I need to be able to act, or pilot the ship, right away..."

"But you're right. I'll try to make more of an effort." A hand is waved towards the meditation chamber. "He's not always meditating, but when he is, I prefer not to bother him." Those crisp blue eyes settle on Kyra. "You know that Vader wanted to twist him to the Dark Side, right? To force him into the same horrible methods and actions that Vader himself uses; a pit from which Galen could never climb out. Meditation is one of the things that keeps him from that. If he's meditating for a long time after an operation like the one we were just in, it's because he needs to; because it's the only way he knows how to purge that darkness from himself. And if he wants to talk, I'll let him. He knows I'm here to listen."

"But," she murmurs, "I'm also not going to pressure him into doing that before he's ready to." A faint smile flickers across her face. "I'm afraid Vader wasn't exactly the best parent. He's not as communicative as some people, when it comes to his own emotions and thoughts. I can encourage him to speak, but he won't do so before he's ready."

She shrugs, faintly. "I'm not about to deprive him of that."

"Yuri? Oh, the fellow concerned with rebellion." She frowns, working her jaw thoughtfully for a moment. "Maybe. I'm not certain how much I trust him, to be honest. He seems to want to help, but... at the same time, he's not human, you know? I don't know how much I can trust someone who doesn't even know how to empathise with the people around him. Not because he means ill, necessarily, but because it might be that something critical might not occur to him because he can't grasp it, or..." One hand rises to rub at her forehead. "I don't know."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
"Making it faster would be appreciated. I don't know dogfighting either so I want to avoid getting into those with serious pilots."

CURSES, Kyra's cunning plan to sneak in a promise has been detected. "But..." her bright green eyes widen at the blonde. "Please? You really should have something to look forward to! C'mon, just think about it." She wanders after Juno, idly watching the journey through the supply cabinet. Just how much stuff do pilots usually take out on these ships anyway? Kyra was kind of interested in finding out.

"It's alright." Kyra says as she accepts the cup of tea. "You've got a lot on your mind besides hospitality right now, right?"

Her enthusiasm finds itself cowed just a little by Juno's humility and worry over Galen. Furthermore, the explanation that the meditation was a means of evading the Dark Side and something that he needed to do. "...oh." she murmurs quietly, looking down into her cup with a look of embarassment on her face. It's a solid reminder that she really didn't know all that much about the Force stuff.

She's all too happy to latch onto cheerier subjects, "Oh, so I'm right, huh?" Kyra says smugly, "C'mon, that rescue mission to get you back? How worried you are for him? It's all pretty obvious to me." She giggles. "Keep encouraging him. It sounds like he'll come out of his shell for you. Maybe not today or tomorrow but someday."

She looks down into the tea again, "Sorry. I think I know a lot less about you and Galen than I think I do so all this advice is really off base. But at least I'm learning a bunch in the process."

But now she looks back up at Juno, locking eyes with her, "I think you can trust him. He is an Exalt, meant to act towards his Motivation, which is rebellion—er, sorry, I can't say it all fancy like he does." Kyra sits up just a little straigher. "His only allegiance is to being the Dark Hero. He thinks very highly of your rebellion and would most definitely help you."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"That I can definitely do." Juno's eyes fall to half-mast as she considers the problem of how to speed up another Starling-class ship. Although she only has experience with two different varieties, one can imagine the interior of the Rafflesia isn't so far off from the Slice Hound. All of those ships seem to make use of the same general template. "I can give you speed. I can also teach you how to pilot the ship better, too, if that's something you're interested in." A smile flickers across her tired face. Piloting, now; that's something she genuinely loves.

She shrugs in response to Kyra's dismissal of her apology. She's still sharp enough to notice when the healer seems to wilt just a little, though, and offers a smile that she hopes is mostly reassuring. It's an assumption most people would make. If she hadn't been able to study Galen as she has over the years, or had him explain the issue to her in his own way, it's a mistake she might herself have made.

"I plan on it. Just being here for him is an encouragement." Reaching out, she pats the white mage's hand sympathetically. "As for the rest, then you know about as much about us as most of the multiverse. I can't exactly blame you. We took pains to keep our relationship a secret for a reason. Everyone has to start somewhere, don't they?"

Trust Yuri? The pilot looks a little dubious at that, watching Kyra as though dubious.

"That's what worries me," she confesses, quietly. "He signifies rebellion. But the problem with rebellion is all the people who get caught in the middle, who don't actually want to fight; the ones who would rather not invite trouble on themselves. The ones who are only trying their hardest just to survive. It's all grand idealism and it sounds quite pretty, hypothetically, but the reality is that rebellion is war. And in war, there are always casualties," she murmurs, subdued. "Always."

Juno looks up, locking eyes with Kyra once more. "His only allegiance is to being the Dark Hero, but the Dark Hero cannot empathise with others, can he? He's not human. All he understands is the battle, not the things that come of those battles. He thinks very highly of my rebellion, but that's his only motivation. I can't trust someone with such specific loyalties... especially not when they can't, by their very nature, ally themselves to a person; only to a motive or an idea, or a concept. I appreciate his help. I appreciate it very much. But I'd be a fool if I dropped my guard."

"There are unfortunately very few people I can trust right now. This is an extremely dangerous void I'm astrogating through, and if I have any hope of surviving, I need to keep my eyes open. Galen and I both." She smiles, a little apologetically, as she wraps her hands around her mug. "I'm sorry if it sounds cynical. I certainly don't like thinking that way... but it's necessary, right now."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
The Rafflesia probably is a lot like the Slice Hound inside. Even between the races of the Flotilla, certain features of ships seemed to be shared (except for Bitblade which was four ships together). "Oh, I'd love to learn how to get better at piloting the ship. Right now I rely on the AI to do all the heavy work but it's just not the same as being able to drive you own ship! Er, pilot your own ship."

Kyra sighs happily just imagining that.

"It's usually a good idea to keep relationships like that to yourselves. It seems like some people out there will take advantages of people in those kinds of relationships." Juno herself is probably very well acquainted with that at this point.

Her suggestion to ask for Yuri's help is met with a more lukewarm response than she was expecting. Her shoulders sink a little, "Your war has had casualties, yes." She heard what happened on the prison ship. "But...that is your choice and your right to decide who to and to not trust. Other than that, I've got...nothing. I don't know who else to turn to or where you can go, Juno."

Solemly, she sips her tea, draining the glass a bit more quicker than intended.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"The governances in the Starling-class vessels are impressive, what little I've had a chance to take a look at, but there's never a substitute for a skilled pilot. I admit, I don't use the automated systems aboard the Rogue Shadow very often unless I'm maintaining a holding pattern. Well, that settles it, then." Juno half-smiles. "I'll teach you how to pilot as much as how to maintain that ship of yours. You seem to have a decent grasp on the basics, considering you haven't crashed, yet, but I'm sure there's room for improvement."

She leans back in her chair, looking up to the ceiling and letting her eyes slip out of focus. A half-second later, she lets her eyes close, though she's still listening. "We don't enjoy hiding what we are to each other, because it's a lot easier to behave naturally... but we had no choice, at the time. We couldn't risk the Empire finding out, so we needed to maintain the professionality of Inquisitor and pilot..." She half-smiles, straightening and reaching up to brush her hair from her face. "I suppose I must have mouthed off to him more than most pilots would, though. I've always had trouble with that..."

"I know." Her expression falls, solemn and harrowed once more. "Believe me, I know. I only want to prevent more of them. I'll... see what I can do. I'm only worried that if I trust in Yuri too much, I'll just be inviting more casualties. That's the nature of rebellion and war. All I really want is for Galen and I to be left in peace. It won't happen, of course... but there it is."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
"I haven't crashed yet, no." Kyra laughs sheepishly, "I don't think I've done a lot of serious piloting yet though. Most has been handled by the AI...and I certainly haven't taken it into combat. Oh hell no..." she pales at the thought. "I'd be like a toddler running around on a battlefield. No way."

A gentle grin overcomes her. "You always hassle those you like, right? Makes sense. An Empire that doesn't tolerate having a conscience probably has some kind of strict policy on inter-work dating, I bet. Most places do, right?" She tries to be a little lighthearted about this one. It also helps that she doesn't understand the intricacies involved in denying certain emotions and emotional attachments to Force users. She doesn't understand that a positive relationship could 'poison' a Sith.

"Just...just stay safe and stay well. I feel like we at the Flotilla only just really got to know you. The real you. Losing that already would be a huge tragedy." Kyra looks to Juno sadly with an expression that only an adorable teenage girl could really pull off.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"There's nothing wrong with leaning on an AI as a learner's tool. It keeps the ship functioning, while leaving you free to do other things." Juno shrugs, wrapping her hands around the warm mug and taking another sip of tea. "I made use of the AI when I was first using the TIE fighter piloting simulations, before I was actually tasked to fly one. Every pilot uses them at least once... but it's not good to lean on them too much. Like I said, there's no substitute for a good pilot."

She rubs her jaw, glancing back over her shoulder, as though she were considering the distant form of the Rafflesia. "No, you don't want to take that into combat. The Starling-class vessels have basic shielding and weapons, but even with those, they're no match for anything you'd be facing against. Even a TIE fighter could outclass one, I think, just based on maneouvrability alone. And if you're flying something with the modifications I've made, you have no defenses at all. It's a little bit risky, but you're relying solely on your ability to dodge and evade incoming attacks."

"It's a common theme," she admits, with a shrug in regards to anti-fraternisation policies. "I don't think there's a specific policy against it within the Inquisition, but then again, I doubt it's ever become relevant. You know, it makes me wonder why Vader assigned me to the Rogue Shadow. Out of the seven pilots Galen had been issued previously, I'm the only woman, and also the same age as him. That can't have been a coincidence." She frowns, eyes slipping out of focus. "It makes me wonder if he was set up to fail all along, you know? I suppose we're better off for it, in any case, both of us."

Her focus returns as her eyes flick back to Kyra. Her brow furrows. "What? I'm not going to be doing anything ill-considered or suicidal any time soon." She sighs. "Actually, I'm considering asking Lowri for help. If she can provide escort, I can have some time to rest, and maybe make some repairs. I'm fairly certain her Ebon Hawk has more teeth than the Rogue Shadow. The Rouge Shadow's hardly any sort of warship."

"Don't worry." She smiles, and even though the expression is weary, she reaches out to pat Kyra's hand reassuringly. "Galen and I aren't going anywhere, so don't worry about us. Just surviving is an excellent opportunity to spite the Empire. Besides, I've got to teach you how to properly fly a starship, don't I?"

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
"I—I mean don't get me wrong, I would like to fly my ship myself too. You know. Being able to pilot. But so far the AI has done what I've needed it to do and gotten me to places without crashing. But...hearing that you used to use one too definitely makes me feel better about it." Kyra grins brightly, even though the following diagnosis for her chances in space combat are pretty grim.

"Outrun would be my strategy." Kyra admits, shivering at the thought of some of the Imperial ships she's seen. "Because if I can't do that and I get caught...well..." She doesn't have to say it but the implication is there and the intent was evident in the attack on the mining facility. Kyra would be killed. Past experience had demonstrated that she made a poor bargaining chip, after all.

Squinting, Kyra shakes her head, "I don't see why they'd set him up to fail if he was such a valuable student to Vader. It may have been intended as a test for him, one he didn't pass? But I agree that it's better off for both of you."

Juno's words on Lowri finally put the worried white mage at ease. Alright, so she did have a plan to reach out for help in this limited capacity. "Good." she sighs, looking up at Juno as she reaches out to pat Kyra's hand. Kyra flips her hand over and grasps Juno's, squeezing it before letting go. "Yeah you do. So you better stay alive to do that." She pauses.

"Or I'll never get to learn from the best." Kyra finishes with a smile.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Like I said," Juno says with a crooked smile, "every pilot starts with it. Thinking in terms of three dimensions doesn't come naturally to most people. It's an easier switch than you'd think, for some; it's why I took to piloting as well as I do, but it's not really natural. Making that adjustment takes time. Until you're ready to make it, you're better off leaning on that automation."

She leans forward, considering for a few moments despite the deep shadows under her eyes. Tactically speaking, the best action any of the Starling-class vessels could take would be to flee any engagement. They don't have the shielding or the firepower to outlast their opponents, and almost any of their opponents are going to be bigger and meaner than they are. "That's probably for the best. Even I wouldn't try dogfighting in one of these. While I'm sure the Slice Hound would be quick enough, the stresses would tear them apart... and just one hit from the opposition would tear a Starling-class in half. Fairly literally, I'm almost positive."

It's a grim picture, but thankfully, they're very good at outrunning things. At least, the ships Juno's had the opportunity to do her work on.

"That's how they operate," she sighs, tired. "Backstabbing and jockeying for position and infighting amongst themselves. It's exhausting just to watch Imperial politics. Or would that be Sith politics? I suppose they all end up at the same place. Whatever the case is, we're better off away from that, as far away as we can get. I'm only sorry it took us so long to cut our ties and run."

Because it's physically exhausting, that's why. It's a tremendous decision and commitment to make, even in the best of condition, and they were forced to flee while poorly-rested and in the midst of a furball of a mission, no less.

When Kyra squeezes her hand, the pilot smiles, although the expression is haggard and weary. "I will. Don't worry about me." That smile broadens, just a little. "Someone's got to take care of Galen, and that's exactly what I plan on doing... and if you're going to learn, yes, exactly. You'd better learn from the best, right?"

She pushes herself up to her feet, sliding aside her empty teacup. "Stay as long as you like. I think I'm going to call Lowri in, and then get some sleep. I'm..." Juno trails off. "I guess even 'exhausted' doesn't feel sufficient, at this point. You're free to stay until Lowri arrives, though. I've got to monitor the sensors until she does, so I'll be occupied – make yourself at home. Just don't go into the crew quarters or the meditation chamber, please. I'd prefer to let Galen rest." Her voice turns serious. "His sanity depends on that a lot more than mine does."

"And... thanks, Kyra." Juno smiles, resting a hand heavily on the white mage's shoulder. "I mean that. I don't exactly have a lot of people I can turn to right now, but I'm glad to know you're on that list."

With a final squeeze, Juno lets go, trudging forward to the cockpit.

Maybe, just maybe, she and Galen can get some actual rest...