Degenerate

Odessen
War Room

Zolah kept her eyes on the datapad in her hands, relying on the proximity sensors built into her implants to keep her on track. The hum of conversations quieted as she neared, then resumed as soon as the Chiss agent passed. Cipher Nine had ceased to be a secret identity years ago, though the stigma still dogged her heels. Not that it mattered, Zolah's spy career was behind her. Now, her skills were being put to more overt use.

Pouring over the latest of Kaeto Vaa's recon information, Zolah tapped the screen with her stylus, inserting the intel before deciding that her briefing was complete. Fynta was due to lead a four man strike force against the Star Fortress above Alderaan the day after tomorrow, but a new obstacle might delay the op. Turning the corner, Zolah stepped into a conversation already underway.

"No," Pierce growled. "That would only succeed in getting our asses blown to bits. Next."

The big man leaned over the holotable, glaring at an enhanced image of the first level. Zolah paused to scowl at the small group. "Is that really as far as you've gotten?" The first level wasn't even half the mission. They still needed to traverse the sublevel, defeat the guard dog, and run a labyrinth of technical traps to deactivate the superweapon. "Seven hours, and you've just knocked on the door?"

Four pairs of eyes blinked at Zolah, but it was Fynta who spoke. "What's that in your hand?"

"A problem." With a flick of the wrist, Zolah transferred her readings to the holotable. She joined the others and pointed with her stylus. "See these panels? They are a security feature that we haven't encountered before. They snap open at seemingly random intervals to allow unfiltered solar radiation to flood the passageway leading from the Skytrooper holding deck." She paused to let them absorb the news, then sighed when no one reacted. "The same passageway that leads to the command console."

Pierce snorted and crossed his arms, while Iresso and Spar leaned closer to the image. Fynta kept her eyes on Zolah. Still, no one commented. Zolah began to question the validity of this group. "You'll need to wear special filters on your visors," she concluded. "And, see Paia about specialty gear."

"Not a problem." Fynta dismissed the new danger as if it were a mere inconvenience. When Zolah made a disgusted noise, the commander gave a pointed nod towards the beings filling the room. Zolah had been so wrapped up in the details of the mission, that she'd neglected to notice that all four were soldiers who were used to heavy durasteel or beskar plating. They were already protected from brief exposure to the solar radiation.

To cover her slip, Zolah changed the topic. "Who will be handling the technical aspect of this?"

Akaavi raised her hand without looking away from the display. "Just transfer your findings to me, and I'll memorize them later."

"It's hardly that simple," Zolah protested. Two, emerald eyes narrowed in her direction, and Zolah met the Zabrak's scowl. "While you may fancy yourself a genius, if we muck this up, we won't get another chance. You and I will go over this together, Spar."

Akaavi straightened to full height, which was impressive for a female of her species. When Zolah failed to be intimidated, Akaavi nodded. "Fine."

Zolah assumed that meant she'd gained some modicum of respect, or that Akaavi would gut her later. There honestly was no telling with this lot. Pushing that thought aside, Zolah continued in a terse tone. "Theron believes he's created a virus that can incapacitate the droid guarding the entrance to the central access corridor, but, it'll need to be inserted manually." Zolah held a dataspike towards Fynta, but Pierce snatched the small device before she could grasp it.

The big man tucked it into his belt without a second look at his commanding officer. Zolah waited for Fynta to reprimand him, but she ignored the man and gave Zolah her complete attention. "Anything else?"

"The rest is in the report. Apart from the new obstacle, I believe we are as prepared as we'll ever be," Zolah admitted, though there were a fair number of loose ends that still bugged her. Theron assured her that he'd assembled a strike force known for its ability to adapt, and that Fynta wouldn't leave until the Star Fortress was destroyed.

"Alright," the commander said, eyes darting around the room. "We've got our work cut out for us. Take the afternoon off to spend as you see fit. We'll sort out the rest on the ride over in the morning."

Alderaan was a fourteen hour trip from Odessen, but that still didn't feel like enough time to perfect an operation of this magnitude. Zolah realized that she was still thinking like a spy, not a soldier. They operated on two completely different fields. Then, there was Fynta.

Zolah stepped aside to allow Pierce to stride from the room, Akaavi slinking out behind him with a quirk of her lips that let Zolah know she wouldn't see the Mandalorian again. If that woman's over-inflated ego buggered up the mission, Zolah would tear out her horns personally.

"Sir, permission to speak freely?" Felix Iresso asked, catching Fynta by the door, and garnering Zolah's full attention. In her experience, Iresso was a quiet man, pleasant to be around, and honest to a fault. He knew how far to push an argument without becoming insubordinate, and when a topic wasn't worth the effort. Vector respected the man for that particular talent, and the majority of the base appeared to agree.

Fynta clasped her hands behind her back. "I always allow my officers to speak their mind, Iresso." She cast a glance at Zolah to indicate that she wanted a word before they parted ways.

Felix smiled, though his brow creased in concern. "Pierce seems to have a bit of a god complex. Now, I did some research into his old unit, and they pulled off some impressive things, but I'm concerned about the insubordination." Iresso glanced at the door. "Stunts like that could get someone killed."

Fynta patted Iresso on the shoulder, and the flash of silver caught Zolah's eye as Fynta tossed the dataspike into the air. She caught it with a devilish grin. "I've dealt with his type before. He'll come around before long."

"Did you pick his pocket?" Iresso's eye widened, as did his smile. The man rubbed the back of his neck and huffed a light laugh at the impish glint in Fynta's eyes. "He's gonna' piss himself when he realizes that's gone."

Having come to a conclusion, Iresso offered a salute. "Alright, sir. I'll leave him in your capable hands." The man was still chuckling when he exited the room, leaving Zolah and Fynta alone.

"Once you earn his respect, Pierce will fall in line," Zolah assured Fynta. She'd seen the way he obeyed Darth Kozen, who had never needed to threaten his crew. Well, apart from Malavai Quinn, but that was another matter entirely.

Fynta slipped the spike into her pocket and shrugged. "I'm not worried. He just needs to learn that I'm not a pushover. There are more sinister ways to break an insubordinate spirit than brutality." Fynta waved her hand, and the image of the Star Fortress zoomed out. "Where is Theron planning to offload us?"

Zolah approached the table and spun the image to show a small maintenance dock. "Your pilot is famed for her ability to break blockades. She's been running our supplies since the beginning. One of Hylo's best."

Fynta stared at the image until Zolah broke the silence. "What's on your mind?" While she'd never call Fynta a friend, they did work well together. And, the woman had a tendency to be clever when least expected.

Spreading her hands to enlarge the landing platform, Fynta chewed her lip. "We might need some extra firepower here. Arcann isn't going to leave that unguarded. I'm betting sleeper droids." Head tilted to one side, she rotated the image. "Each one of my soldiers wears a pressurized suit of armor. I think we should skip the dock and aim for this ventilation shaft."

Zolah calculated the angle of approach, along with their odds of being able to remain undetected while ejecting four soldiers towards such a small target. "That's a risky move, Fynta."

The commander nodded. "But, if we land, then start a firefight on that dock, Arcann will have a small fleet on us in minutes." She followed the pipeline from the exterior through the Star Fortress until it ended on the third deck. "This gets us halfway there. Fifteen minutes, tops."

"If I understand the way your suits work, that doesn't leave much room for error," Zolah added. She knew that Pierce's only contained twenty minutes of oxygen. "One wrong turn, and you could lose half your team."

"Land on that dock, and we could lose an entire planet." Fynta puffed out a breath that ruffled her bangs. "I'm willing to risk it, and I'll bet those soldiers are too."

Zolah admitted that there was a certain truth to the commander's fears. "Let me take this up with Theron and Lana. We'll be in touch within the hour."

Fynta clapped Zolah on the shoulder. "I'll leave my comm on." She checked her chrono and smirked. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my own pre-mission routine to follow."

Coruscant
Residential Sector
Apartment 7865

Shillet woke to the sounds of urgent voices. A distant memory stirred in her sleep-addled mind of an argument that slipped away before the young Nautolan could grasp it. These voices, however, were real, with accents so thick that Shillet had to creep to the door in order to understand what they were saying. She paused, glancing back at Tayl's bed to ensure her little cousin was asleep, before tiptoeing further into the hall.

"I can't, Elara, not this time," Aleksei complained, holding his arms out in a gesture that meant he was tired of repeating himself.

"You have to," Elara shot back, hand on hips. "I leave in two hours; there isn't time to contact the school. You'll need to take care of them until the morning."

Aleksei threw his hands up and stomped away. He stopped at the window before rounding on his sister. "And, I need to report for duty at 0300. Balkar will have my balls if I'm late again."

Elara rolled her eyes, waving a dismissive hand, which made her brother's nostrils flare in anger. "Nonsense. Jonas will understand that there are extenuating circumstances. I'll contact him myse—"

"No," Aleksei snapped. "I'm a grown ass man, Elara. I'll handle my boss." He huffed and started towards his bedroom. "Just go. I'll manage."

Elara sighed and rubbed her temples. Shillet ducked into the refresher when Elara started down the hall to check on them, then snapped her fingers like she'd remembered something and turned towards her office. Shillet breathed a sigh of relief, then dashed back to the room on silent feet.

Shillet lay in bed, dreading returning to the boarding school three days early, and decided to try Aric's comm. She knew he wouldn't be able to answer, but the sound of his voice recording soothed her nerves. Shillet hung up when Elara's footsteps echoed in the hall again. She reminded herself to send Aric a text later letting him know that she was okay. He had a tendency to worry when an explanation didn't accompany a missed call. Shillet assumed that it was due to his lost wife, but he rarely spoke of the woman.

Elara crept into the room and fussed with Tayl's blankets. "I've got to go on a little trip, but I'll return as soon as possible." Shillet peeked through slitted lids, watching Elara run her fingers through Tayl's dark hair. The woman's graceful features held a sad smile as she stared down at her son. "Uncle Aleksei will be with you tonight, then it's back to school with your friends."

Tayl stirred, took a deep breath, but never woke. Elara bent to kiss his forehead, and Shillet snapped her eyes shut when the woman turned towards her. Shillet felt her mattress depress under Elara's weight, and the familiar tickle of human fingers brushing through her head tresses. "I'm sorry that you couldn't stay longer," Elara whispered, and Shillet wondered if the captain knew that she was awake. A profound weariness radiated from Elara so strong that Shillet almost sat up for a hug. "I promise that I'll make it up to you as soon as I can."

Elara repeated the maternal kiss with Shillet before rising to her feet. "Do behave," she added with the hint of a smile. "I'm not sure Jorgan can handle being called into the dean's office anymore."

Shillet kept her eyes closed, refusing to relinquish the ruse of sleep. Elara padded to the door and slipped out, shutting it behind her. Once she was sure that Elara was gone, Shillet flopped onto her back to stare at the ceiling. A holographic sky met her gaze, a program to allow children who lived on planets with a false sky access to the wonders of the galaxy. The shooting stars did nothing to calm Shillet's foul mood this time.

Knowing that Elara was leaving, and that Aleksei would soon be unreachable as well, sent a cold shiver through the Nautolan's small body. Shillet didn't like feeling alienated from her family. What if there was an emergency, or something happened to Tayl? How could she track down someone responsible? They're all leaving, she thought. Aric, Elara, Aleksei. What if they don't come back?

Shillet couldn't calm her mind, and had worked herself into a near panic when she rolled over to grab the link to try Aric again. She paused, hand poised over the device, when she saw the late hour. Elara would already be gone by now.

Pushing herself upright in bed, Shillet decided to use the 'fresher and maybe get a drink of water. She should have been asleep hours ago, and grumbled that she'd missed yet another opportunity to rest. All over stupid worries that she couldn't change because kids didn't get a say in the affairs of adults.

Having seen to her needs, Shillet headed back to bed. She paused when she realized that the light in Aleksie's room was still on. Curiosity drove the young Nautolan towards him. It was nearly 0200, but her uncle showed no indication of getting ready for work. Shillet waited for him to notice her, then knocked on the doorframe when she became impatient.

Aleksei, the mirror image of his sister, waved his hand for Shillet to enter. "You're supposed to be asleep, Tadpole."

Shillet rolled her eyes at the endearment. Balic had called her that when she'd been so malnourished that she couldn't offer her real name. The big man had spent hours by the tank they'd used to nurse her back to health, making faces and telling silly stories to distract her from the slow process. She'd barely been old enough to survive out of water then, but she still remembered.

"I couldn't," Shillet grumbled as she hopped onto Aleksie's bed. "What are you doing?"

Aleksei hunched over his desk with a pair of oversized spectacles balanced on his nose and two sets of tweezers in hand. "Bugging a comm." His shoulders stiffened, and he glanced back with a sheepish grin. "That'll be our little secret, though."

Shillet slid off the bed and hurried to the desk. "Can I watch?" She put on her best pleading expression, ensuring that the light from the lamp caught her eyes just so to reflect her ... sincerity.

Aleksei chewed his lip, then glanced towards the door. Finally, he sighed. "Sure, but this never happened, got it? Aric would kill me if he knew that I'd taught you anything related to the SIS."

Shillet grinned, bouncing on her toes. "I swear, not a word."

With a chuckle, Aleksei shook his head and handed her the glasses. "Okay, first, you need to understand how a comm works."

Odessen
Seven Hours Until Star Fortress Strike

"So, it's decided?" Theron looked around the small table at the few they'd managed to pull in for the impromptu meeting. Lana, Notiac, and Koth had joined Zolah, Vector, and himself in their quarters to discuss whether or not Fynta's plan was worth the risk.

"This is why we needed Fynta specifically," Lana reiterated, both hands pressing against the top of the table. "She has a talent for seeing avenues that others overlook."

Theron took that as a yes from Lana, and looked towards Koth. The man leaned back in his chair and nodded. "If anyone can pull this harebrained plan off, it's the commander. I don't want to be the one to tell Hirani, though. She hates last minute changes."

"Noted," Theron commented dryly. Koth held his hands up in surrender and looked away. Theron moved on. "Any objections?"

"Not from us," Vector added as he set a fresh pot of tea on the table, then leaned on the back of Theron's chair to look down at him. "We have witnessed Fynta's stubbornness first hand, and feel that she would find a way to proceed without our blessing."

Theron snorted even as Koth chuckled. A single glance towards his Imperial lover stilled Theron's ironic amusement. "Zolah?"

"I still have reservations, but it's clear which way the vote leans," Zolah answered, dipping a spoonful of sugar into her tea and stirring. She kept her eyes on her task, a clear sign that she was irritated that her warning remained unheeded. When no one responded, Zolah set the spoon aside with a huff. "Fynta is reckless, but she does get results. Truthfully, we shouldn't be risking our trump card on missions of this caliber, but I'm not foolish enough to believe that she'd remain on Odessen while the men under her waged war."

Vector placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "She is Mandalorian. It is not in her nature to resist a fight."

The only person who had yet to offer an opinion was Master Carlo. The Miralukan always waited until others had said their piece, speaking after she'd digested every angle. "I'm afraid I agree with Agent Holran," the Jedi said. She tilted her head when all eyes turned towards her, a single, brown curl sliding over one shoulder. It fascinated Theron how she could express so much patience without the use of eyes. "Fynta Wolfe is a tumultuous creature. She has just as much potential to ruin this frail alliance as she does to lead it to victory."

Theron felt a chill run the length of his spine, starting at his neck and tingling down the back of his legs. Master Carlo held a lot of sway on the war council, for good reason. If the Barsen'thor objected to the mission, then they'd be kicked back to planning. It would infuriate Fynta, and create a shit storm for Theron to navigate.

"However," Notiac continued, and Theron promised all manner of good behavior to the Force. "She seems sincere in her wish to destroy Arcann, and that will have to do for now. Let her have control of this mission, and we'll review her performance afterward to discuss future possibilities."

"That settles it, then." Theron switched off his datapad and collected it from the center of the table before any more objections could be raised. They'd turned the image of the Star Fortress in every perceivable angle, and still had nothing better than Fynta's suggestion. "I'll let the commander know that it's on."

The group began to disperse while Theron and Vector gathered teacups and beer bottles. He glanced at his chrono, noting the late hour, and scowled. "She said something about a pre-mission routine," Zolah answered to Theron's unasked question.

"Let's hope not." Theron knew what those words would've meant ten years ago, then almost missed his next step. Holy kriffing hell, I'm getting old.

Theron cleared his throat when he caught Vector staring at him with an upturned eyebrow. "She should be done at the cantina by now, I'll try her quarters first."

Fynta's room wasn't far from his. They were due on the ship at 0400, and given the hour, Theron hoped that Fynta had at least turned in for the night.

Theron arrived at Fynta's door to the sound of glass shattering inside, followed by a masculine grunt. Frowning, he pressed his ear to the cold metal in time to hear something heavy to smack against the wall. Heart racing, Theron sliced through the biometric lock as dozens of scenarios flitted through his mind. Lowest priority was trying to ascertain how someone could have gotten through his security.

Notiac filtered all new arrivals personally, and her ability to sense guilt was unrivaled. Besides, anyone making an attempt on Fynta's life would find themselves outmatched. She'd tear her attacker apart, even if it killed her in the process.

When Theron broke through the system's firewall, he burst into the room with blaster drawn. He forgot the weapon as he took in the scene before him. "What—" Theron sputtered, blinking rapidly, unsure where to rest his eyes.

Fynta's mismatched legs were wrapped around the waist of an unfamiliar Twi'lek, and clothing littered the floor. Theron met Fynta's half-lidded eyes over the man's shoulder. She had the audacity to smirk, sliding her hands behind the male's head to encourage his exploration of her breasts. Theron's lip curled in disgust.

"Care to join us?" Fynta asked, head tilted to the side, eyebrow raised. Only then did the Twi'lek notice Theron's entrance. The man's blue flesh paled with recognition.

"What. The. Kriffing. Hell," Theron ground out, accentuating every word.

The Twi'lek detangled himself from Fynta's limbs and raised both hands. His eyes traveled to the weapon dangling from Theron's fingers. "She never said anything about being in a relationship, sir."

Theron snarled, snatching a military green shirt from the floor, and threw it at the male. "Beat it." Without bothering to don the clothing, the Twi'lek buttoned his pants and scurried from the room. Theron followed on his heels, keying the door shut behind him before rounding on Fynta.

The commander wore a droll expression that could have meant anything from mild amusement to the threat of violence. Still sitting on the counter, Fynta crossed her legs with chin in hand and an elbow planted on her knee, not bothering to adjust the bra that no longer supported her.

Theron forced a couple of deep breaths, then waved his hand at the door. "Seriously, what the fuck?"

Fynta rolled her eyes. "Not quite." She hopped off the counter to dig through her icebox, casting a coy look over her shoulder. "Jealous that I didn't come to you?"

"Don't be an ass, Fynta. You know damn well what I mean." Theron grabbed her shirt from the back of a chair and threw it at her. She raised an eyebrow as she opened a beer, setting the garment on the counter to be ignored.

Fynta's nonchalant manner set Theron's blood to boil, but not the way it used to. This had to be Valkorion's doing. She wasn't as in control of her actions as they'd thought. The Fynta that Theron had come to respect would never have behaved like this. This was the Wolfe from their younger years.

"Damn it, how could you do that to Jorgan?" Theron all but shouted, barely able to see through the haze of anger. Not that he and the Cathar had ever been pals, but Theron didn't want to be proven correct. Not after the hell Jorgan had lived through all these years.

Fynta smirked and took another swig. "I'm pretty sure that wasn't his name." She downed half her beer, then rolled her eyes again when Theron didn't respond. "Shab, Theron. It was just a way to work off some steam, I've been cooped up for too long."

Theron closed the space between them and knocked the drink from Fynta's hand. The bottle struck neck down and splashed against the grey stone. The commander blinked at the mess dribbling onto the floor, then sighed as if it was just one more thing gone wrong in her day. "That was my last one."

Theron snatched Fynta's wrist with a snarl. He held the leather band so that she could see it, all but shoving it into her face. Theron remembered seeing a matching cuff on Jorgan's arm back on Ziost, though he hadn't known what it meant at the time. "Major Aric Jorgan. Your husband. The man you pledged your life to." He released her with a shove. "And here you are, whoring yourself out like the old days."

Fynta's face twisted in anger. She swung, and Theron ducked to back towards the door before she could draw her blaster. "Get. Out," Fynta snarled between clenched teeth.

Theron keyed the door opened without taking his eyes off of the woman. "I thought you'd changed. I guess I'm an idiot like the rest."

Fynta vanished behind the counter. Sensing that he'd pushed the commander to her breaking point, Theron slipped from the room. Fynta's discarded bottle shattered against the corridor wall just before the door snapped shut, leaving Theron alone with the glinting shards of glass, and a lot of unanswered questions.

A/N: I was so nervous about this chapter. Meanwhile, my beta Dimigex cackled evilly.