The women sauntered along past Stormtroopers, uniformed officers, and a squad of tall, dark armored soldiers that looked vaguely like their shorter counterparts. "Who are those guys?" asked Lola. "Dark Troopers, Phase Zeroes," explained Vanessa. "It's better to leave them alone." "What for?" "Most are wounded Clones that were reassigned into those suits." "Cyborgs?" Lola asked. "Yep. They don't take well to their new promotion, and they kinda hate everyone because of it."

"Pfft, I would, too," Lola shrugged. A short silence passed, and they found themselves at a small, empty cafe as a mellow synthwave tune played through the ceiling speakers. Vanessa lead the way up to the counter. "No worries, It's free," she spoke while she looked back. Lola simply yawned as she nodded. "Lovely. I need a cup of caf right about now, can't you tell?" "Look no further."

The two ordered their beverages from the silver plated server droid, and with their drinks in hand picked a booth. Lola enjoyed the highly aromatic beverage, then blew on it to cool it, then sipped it. "Why this is-I haven't had a cup of caf like this since I was at that palace on Nar Shaddaa," she remarked. Vanessa sipped hers, then continued.

"Yeah, they make it real good, here." A small silence followed, then Vanessa perked up. "So, yeah, about that T-Forty Seven! Lemme give you some backstory, first. Exposition, if you will," she stated, to which Lola nodded. "I was originally in the Army as a para engineer, before I ended up here. Worked on security systems up until recent, and uh, did a lot of stuff, now that I'm thinkin' about it." Lola looked at her, curious, then asked. "A para engineer, like, you come in on a dropship with some tools, then work on artillery guns or somethin'?" "Not specifically, though I have, before," Vanessa replied with a little shrug. "Really, we're the ones that build the tarmacs and roads for our forces, we're the ones that rebuild the cities after they get leveled to the ground."

Lola nodded, and Vanessa continued. "So, yeah. I was assigned to repair a civic center after it was bombed by insurgents, and that's when they jumped us. The whole thing was a setup." she frowned. Lola sighed, then commented with a look of her own. "Right when we finished a huge war, people still have to go on and get stupid."

Vanessa was quiet for a few moments as she sipped her caf, and it became evident she was lost in thought. I hope I didn't reopen anything... The woman nodded, then continued. "That's because they are stupid and need to get stomped out!" She sighed. "You're right, though," she added before she went on.

"Still, I was cut off from my team in that attack, and was forced to fight my way through a war torn city crawling with trigger happy maniacs that wanted me dead." Lola sipped her drink as she kept talking. "That's when me 'n Buddy teamed up, after I got shot in the leg, almost ate it, there." She shuddered at the memory, though her expression warmed as she remembered the following. "He stood over me and gunned down several shock troops that went in for the kill. We saved one another from another ambush after he patched me up, and he helped me break through to the city outskirts." She smiled. "Grateful for him. He's like a brother to me, even though we only just got to know each other." Vanessa after a few moments continued further.

"We made it to the hangar where the enemy had been staging their assault but abandoned it, and found a TIE fighter that got shot down out front. Based on the damage, they were the one that ran them off. Didn't find the pilot inside, though, so that worried me. Still does."

Vanessa furled her brow and sighed. "Then, my detachment pulled out and the Empire was forced to leave the planet, as the ships in orbit were getting attacked, too. We watched as the ships lifted off and," her tone faltered. "Left us behind as they had to..." The woman across from Lola couldn't hide her shivering underneath her coveralls. Lola didn't press it, and felt for her. In time, the uniformed woman spoke again.

"We found that speeder unguarded." Lola listened on, riveted. "It didn't want to power up, so I'd swapped some fuses I'd scavenged from the TIE and it powered on, and we took off right as some hostiles spotted us. Made short work of 'em, and blasted off without a clue as to what I was doing, just a strong feeling I was on the right path, somehow." She shrugged, then continued on. "Flew around for awhile, then the scariest lookin' star destroyer I'd ever seen before appeared out of nowhere!" "This ship, here," Lola replied, and Vanessa nodded. "Yep, it had to cool down its cloaking reactor to make the ascent to space, though, I'd seen it, and after Buddy said he could get us on board, dared to follow it."

Lola nodded as the woman across from her sipped more caf. "It went into space, too, but my fighter had a sealed cockpit, internal life support, and an actual hyperdrive and thrusters, not just a repulsor system." Lola nodded. "Only a starfighter needs all that."

"Yep," nodded Vanessa. "Buddy used the comms unit in his helmet to hail this ship here, the Evanescence, and we were peacefully intercepted by a flurry of Interceptors after we were forced to power off the onboard weapons." She swilled her caf. "The hangar was full of really angry Stormtroopers behind squad cannons. It was crazy!"

"Yeah, that must have been a sight!" Lola smiled as she imagined the event. "Surprised they didn't just blow you to bits outright," she continued, then gave her Imperial impression. "This is a ruse! Blast 'em!" Vanessa laughed at that. "Nice impression, should have went to officer school." Lola pursed her lips. "I did in the former Republic, actually, but I found my way into a different life. Funny thing is," she spoke, and raised her bows for a moment. "I know more from the path I chose than being like the good Lieutenant we'll soon have to live with."

Vanessa shifted in her seat and shrugged her shoulders. "Right, and she's a weirdo and all, but she's sometimes okay, well, kinda, since the uh, short amount of time I've gotten to know her." She sipped her beverage again. "But, yeah, anyway, they cleared our operating numbers before I was even allowed near the ship after I explained what I did." "You're a lucky one, Sergeant," replied the fur adorned woman, and Vanessa simply sighed with relief while she looked into her cup. "I'm just happy we made it and didn't get court martialed over it." She looked around, then continued. "The Empire doesn't approve of individual thinking...but I soon discovered Captain Sturm isn't like the rest. It's been as fun as when I first joined the Service, being on board here."

Lola nodded. "The Captain's a real gentleman, we spoke about those Interceptors and some other ships you keep, here, too. How I'd love to get in that Actis fighter y'all found and fly it!" "You're a pilot?" Vanessa asked, and she only partially hid her disbelief. "Yes, ma'am," replied Lola, unfazed, and she swilled some caf. "I like flying everything from starfighters to gunships." "You, in a gunship? Were you Navy?" "Was," she smiled, then spoke further. "Like I said, before all this, I was in Republic officer school, then made junior lieutenant as a naval flight officer, though," she sighed. "Had an unpleasant dispensary with some unsavory types on a space station while stationed there, won't discuss it further as it's actually classified." The fur adorned women then smiled at her cup. "I afterwards then found myself as a soldier of fortune, blowing up the night for thick chips and fancy clothes."

"I see," Vanessa hummed at that. The two finished their drinks and left their cups on the table, and a droid placed them on a tray and rolled back into the kitchenette. With some pep in her step, Lola felt a newfound sense of calm as the dark halls became somehow easier on the eyes. Vanessa looked her way. "You know, you're alright," the woman admitted. "Likewise," Lola replied and walked along, and in time the two women found Vardossk.