Chapter 7: Sey'les
In Orbit of Coruscant
The moment the Judicator arrived in the Coruscant system, Sey'les and Wulf received messages on their datapads. They were both identical, except where Sey'les's said "Captain" Wulf's said "Lieutenant." While seated in the observation lounge, both Judicials had been holding their datapads for the last twenty minutes as the Judicator travelled through hyperspace.
"Authority: GRL-6-7-1 of the Naval Authorization Act
Agent Sey'les, you are offered a commission in the Republic Navy at the rank of Captain. By signing below in the 'accept' field you are accepting the commission. By signing in the 'refuse' field, you are refusing the commission. Report for your Navy physical Primeday at 0900 hours. Swearing in will be done later in the day, presuming you are successful. For inquiries, please call the Republic Center for Military Operations at—"
Sey'les immediately began calling the number.
"What is it Sey'les?" Wulf asked inquisitively.
Sey'les was in her Bothan strategic mode. "Primeday? That's in five days. I want to do my physical sooner. You know how this is going to work right?"
"Uh no…" the Ardennian admitted.
Sey'les began explaining. "Thousands of Judicials will be getting their physicals later in the week. If we wait until Primeday, who knows what will happen. I am willing to accept anything at this point, but I don't want to accept just anything if I don't have to."
"Yes?" an unfamiliar male voice on Sey'les's datapad asked.
"This is Agent Sey'les, callsign Muun Leader, identification code 000978 Wobani."
"This is the office of personnel assignment. What can I do for you Agent Sey'les?"
"I am scheduled for my Naval physical Primeday. I was wondering if I could do it tomorrow."
"TOMORROW?!" Wulf yelled in shock.
Sey'les shushed him. "Yes, tomorrow."
"I am transferring your call to our director Agent, please hold."
"Are you insane Sey'les?" Wulf gasped, taking advantage of the brief call on hold.
"Wulf, do you think you will be any more physically fit in five days than you are now?" Sey'les asked pointedly. "I mean, both of us are missing fur, but otherwise, I feel fine."
"I suppose I do feel fine," Wulf admitted, scratching his head nervously.
"Good. Wulf, do I have your permission to get you a physical too?"
"Yeah, I'd like to go there and do it the same day as you," Wulf replied.
"This is Commander Bergus," a human male voice said from Sey'les's comm. "Agent Sey'les, I am surprised you are asking for a physical tomorrow."
"Thank you for taking my call sir," Sey'les said with a hint of impatience.
Bergus spoke in a very concerned tone, "my medical records show that just three days ago you had second degree burns on 20% of your body Agent Sey'les. Are you even certain you would pass a physical?"
"Yes sir, the Bacta healed me up nicely," Sey'les answered with a smile. "My fur is quite patchy, but otherwise, I am fine. The same goes for the other active member of my team Razal Wulf. I would like him to get a physical too tomorrow."
"Very well Sey'les," Bergus huffed. "Normally we would send instructions to your address in person. Do not consume any alcohol tonight. You will get an alcohol and spice screening, full medical examination, full physical fitness test, and also your shooting qualification done."
"A shooting qualification at the same time as my medical exam?" Sey'les asked incredulously.
"Yes, we want to process you as quickly as possible, Agent. The medical exam will take place in the hospital wing of the Judicial Arcology, the fitness test on the uppermost level track and field, and the target test in the basement."
"Thank you for the explanation sir," Sey'les said with enthusiasm. "Signing my form now—"
"—Don't sign that one Agent. I am sending you and Agent Wulf a new form with your new examination date and time now."
"Okay, I will sign that other one sir, have a good evening," Sey'les growled.
"Have a good evening Agent Sey'les."
Sey'les looked up from her datapad with a smirk. I got this.
Wulf looked nervous. "Sey'les, I am almost starting to think you should get your head examined."
"Wulf! I am fine," Sey'les snarled. She added with a cautious growl, "besides, we are getting counselling now, you know."
"Think that'll come up on the physical?" Wulf asked.
"Nah."
o.o.o.o.o
Sey'les, Wulf, and Hashtivar rode a transport to the Judicial Arcology together. Sey'les and Wulf both had separate apartments in CoCo Town, but they wanted to see Hashtivar off. It was around time for the sun to set, yet, as usual, the sunset was obscured by the tall buildings. There was almost nowhere on the surface level of Coruscant the sunset was visible from.
"What is that building?" Wulf asked as the shuttle descended near a mess of construction across from the Judicial Plaza.
"That's the new military base," the pilot said.
"I wish I could see out the windows," Hashtivar groaned glumly, lying in his gurney. Already adjusted to the highest setting, his gurney was just below the window line.
"It's… a lot of new construction," Sey'les explained simply. "It looks like a stack of buildings are being built, and around them, a wall and massive landing pads. The Judicator could probably fit on one of them when they are finished. It's amazing."
"The entire Corps of Engineers is working on that and also redesigning the Judicial Arcology into something else. I don't quite know what though," the pilot said.
"When did they start this?" Sey'les asked the pilot.
"Just a week ago," he answered.
"Wow…" Wulf said in awe.
As the shuttle neared the Judicial Arcology, construction was also visible there. It looked as if the Corps of Engineers was adding a new layer of buildings over the Judicial Headquarters, at the same level as the Judicial Hospital and ROCI Headquarters.
"We'll be in the building tomorrow for our physical Hashtivar, but we might not have time to see you," Sey'les added as the shuttle landed. She unhooked Hashtivar's gurney from the wall.
Wulf grabbed the other end of the gurney and started walking backwards, pulling it gently down the ramp.
"Thanks for pushing me," Hashtivar said happily. He looked around at all of the construction as Sey'les pushed the gurney forwards.
While pushing the gurney, Sey'les sniffed the air curiously. Amidst the construction, she could smell sawdust, melting plastic, smoke, and wet paint.
The Corps of Engineers personnel were even present in the hospital, wearing white uniforms with rank pins, ordering civilian construction workers around.
Sey'les and Wulf pushed the gurney towards the reception past multi-species crowds of construction workers in yellow vests and mostly human Corps of Engineers officers.
The reception was staffed by a Twi'lek male and a human female. They both stared at the two Judicials pushing Hashtivar in.
"Can we help you?" the Twi'lek male asked cautiously as if afraid a conspiracy was afoot.
"Yes," Sey'les said. "We are here to transfer Agent Hashtivar from the Judicator's sickbay to here, and have no idea where we are going," she admitted. Her fur swirled with embarrassment.
Hashtivar started roaring with laughter. "The medical droid didn't even give you directions!"
"All right, I see you on the registrar… Okay, wait here for a moment the nurses will let you in," the human female muttered.
Less than a minute later, three nurses came out, two humans and a Sullustan. The humans took Hashtivar's stretcher and the Sullustan began speaking with Sey'les and Wulf as they followed.
"We are going to the long-term ward," the short Sullustan explained, gesturing down the hall. "The medical droid aboard the Judicator deemed Hashtivar's injuries inoperable. He is eligible for full disability, and, actually I should tell Hashtivar this…"
"I can hear you," Hashtivar muttered.
"Sorry about that, it's been a long day," he sighed. "You can remain here or transfer to a more comfortable facility if you would like. I expect you will get a medical discharge soon."
"No kidding," Hashtivar snorted as they pushed his gurney into an area of the hospital that looked more like an assisted living centre.
The cafeteria they passed by had huge windows looking out into the red Coruscanti evening city scape. The Jedi Temple could be seen on the opposite side of the Federal District. Around the cafeteria were some tables with random board games. An elderly human male sat at a table with a Rodian nurse playing Demesne.
"Eventually," the Sullustan said optimistically, "someone should be able to build you a custom wheelchair, and you might even gain some independence."
"When that happens, I think I am going to ride my wheelchair to a ship, and go back to Castilon," Hashtivar said glumly.
"This is your room," the Sullustan said as they arrived at room 782. It had a window facing in the opposite direction as the cafeteria, towards the Senate building.
Kriff. This just… Is awful. "Um…" Sey'les then spoke in a sad voice. "Tell me if you need anything Hashtivar and tell me before you go. If you do leave, I would like to say goodbye."
"Tell me too," Wulf murmured, choking back a sniffle.
"I will," Hashtivar said. "You two have been very good to me since Antar 4. Thanks for everything."
Sey'les stopped down and hugged him on his bed.
"Wulf, Sey'les, I don't want you to just forget about me though. I can't expect you to visit me all the time, but maybe at least once or twice a month would be nice," Hashtivar said as he hugged Sey'les back.
"We can manage that for sure, maybe even more often," Sey'les mumbled softly.
o.o.o.o.o
On the maglev train from Federal District Station to the CoCo District, Sey'les and Wulf got a lot more stares than usual. Beings always stared at them because they were Judicials, but this evening it seemed everyone was staring.
Sey'les looked at her reflection in the window and saw her fur—growing back, but still very patchy. Damn. I look like stuck my head in an oven.
"Why does it seem like everyone is staring at us?" Wulf asked cautiously.
"I think because well, our fur," she pointed to their reflections in the window.
"Hmmmm," Wulf said. He sounded like he doubted her explanation, but did not elaborate.
Wulf's stop was the second stop in CoCo District.
"See you in the morning," Sey'les said.
"See you in the morning, Captain," Wulf chuckled.
Sey'les paused for a moment, then gasped. Damn. It is going to be so awkward outranking Wulf, she thought with horror. At least Wulf is not starting off as an Ensign.
After getting off the train, she took the travelator across the avenue towards the block her apartment was on. The Bothan could have stood still and just let it move her, but she felt far too lazy doing that and walked on the left side, passing the pedestrians who were standing still on the right.
The sun had submerged beneath the horizon and it was getting dark—dark for Coruscant that is. The fairly bright night-time sky was illuminated by billboards, lights, and trillions of lit windows. On a cloudless night, Sey'les could see, at most, three or four stars in the sky.
Arriving at her apartment complex's main entrance, Sey'les stood before the facial recognition droid.
It scanned her face. "Facial recognition failed! Identify yourself."
She gasped, then growled nervously, "I am Lir Sey'les."
"Voice recognition successful. Welcome home Lir Sey'les," the droid said.
"Thank you," Sey'les said and walked in.
After setting her rucksack down in the hallway, she found her key card in the top pocket. She swiped it on room three and stepped inside, sniffing the air room always had such a dusty smell when she left it for a few days. A very un-lived in smell.
She turned on the lights. Everything was as she left it. The kitchen had clean dishes drying on her rack—actually dried days ago on her rack, her sofa was in front of her Holoterminal, and her bedroom door was open.
Soon, the exhausted Bothan collapsed in her bed.
Her datapad buzzed suddenly. Who could that be?
"Sorry Sey'les," Wulf's voice chimed through. "The facial recognition droid doesn't recognise me anymore."
Sey'les could imagine his embarrassed wince from his inflections. "Does it also not recognise your voice?"
"Ours doesn't have that feature," Wulf sighed.
"Ah well, sleep here," Sey'les said simply.
"Are you sure you are okay with that?"
"Yep," Sey'les replied with a grin. I can make my move.
o.o.o.o.o
Sey'les was lying alone in bed, tugging on her blanket in frustration, nearly ripping it in half. A frustrated toothy snarl was on her face. How do I get Wulf to sleep with me?!
Wulf had plopped down on Sey'les's sofa for the night.
Alone in her room, Sey'les could not work up the courage to ask Wulf to sleep with her. She had no idea how to even start. How do people even do this? she thought with increasing frustration. She wondered, do people even do this? He is my friend. This is weird!
Ugh! What if they put Wulf in another unit! What if he gets on another ship or something? Sey'les thought with renewed alarm.
Hmmm… I guess he might not be my subordinate then after all, she thought more strategically.
I need to calm down. It is 2200 and I have to wake up early. Besides, I didn't just say it was okay for Wulf to sleep here because of… that. He's my friend, he's on my team, and needs a place to stay. She stopped pulling on her blanket and instead pulled out her datapad. She clicked on the news icon with her furry finger: "Link Found between Using Electronics at Night and Insomnia,"a title read.
Sey'les sighed and put down her datapad. She closed her eyes and, as usual, fell asleep quickly.
o.o.o.o.o
Wulf was taking steady breaths and pacing himself.
Sey'les was panting hard, running ahead of Wulf slowly enough to let him pace off her.
The three-kilometre run was the final portion of the physical fitness test. Wulf and Sey'les had passed the other portions thus far with flying colours. Now, they were on the one-kilometre-long indoor track at one of the upper levels of the Judicial Arcology.
"Okay," Sey'les panted. "Wulf, you're on your own. We're at the last quarter." She began running as hard as she could.
Even though it was painful, hot, and exhausting, somehow feeling the air rush into her face was always exciting. Sey'les ran as fast as she could around the curve, her legs buckling from exhaustion. She took deep snouty breaths into her mouth, then exhaled.
In the last 100 meters she began feeling sick. Kriff. I gotta finish! She ran as fast as she could over the finishing marks, the tester pressed his chronometer.
"9:52.37 Very impressive Agent."
Sey'les stooped down to her knees and vomited. She winced at the bitter taste in her mouth and held her snout open for a moment letting strings of saliva fall to the ground. Ugh! So gross!
Wulf finished a few seconds later.
"10:02.66, also impressive," the scorer added consolingly.
"Sey'les," Wulf said breathily, "you shouldn't go so hard. We have a shooting test in thirty minutes."
Wiping off her snout, Sey'les took out her canteen and gulped some water, washing away the bitter taste, ignoring Wulf.
"The 100% score time for 30 to 32-year-old males is ten minutes thirty seconds Sey'les," Wulf said before taking a gulp of water from his own canteen, then doused his head with it. Water dripped from Wulf's head to his shoulders and onto the floor.
"I know," Sey'les gasped. "I just want to be the best or close to it. If we're lucky, I'll be a team leader in some taskforce and I'll be able to pick… Well, you." Sey'les's fur swirled nervously. Will he say yes?
"Hmmm that would be nice," Wulf replied.
Rogue, Sey'les thought and smiled. Of course, he would say yes.
A cleaning droid rolled in, scanned all over the spot Sey'les had vomited on, and started vacuuming and steam rolling it without pause.
"I suggest you both hit the showers," the scorer said. "You have twenty-five minutes."
"All right, we will," Sey'les said and took another gulp of water. Her canteen was now empty.
o.o.o.o.o
"I wonder why they are having us shoot so soon after the run," Wulf pondered aloud, now walking with Sey'les dressed in his Judicial working uniform.
"Probably to see how well we shoot after physical activity," Sey'les replied in a breathy voice as she hit the "down" button on the Turbolift.
"You are smiling an awful lot for how tired you look, Sey'les," Wulf smirked.
Sey'les was exhausted. She had pushed herself that hard on physical fitness tests before, but she felt more tired than usual this time. However, to Sey'les's pleasant surprise, they were the only two who were tested at all today. They would be among the very first transfers to the Navy. It was even better than Sey'les had planned. She could not stop smiling. Everything about this day, she sensed, was going to be awesome career-wise. It was a great feeling.
"Wulf, it's just a feeling," she replied simply with a toothy smile as the turbolift doors opened.
They stepped into the turbolift. It was built to fit an entire squad of Judicials at once, and then some. However, Sey'les and Wulf were the only two in it. The turbolift lowered deeper towards the basement level of the Judicial Arcology, where the shooting ranges and indoor combat simulation rooms were.
The doors opened. Sey'les and Wulf stepped out into the training room. This area had no construction going on. Right outside of the turbolift, stood an officer wearing a green dress uniform.
"Greetings Agents, I am Lieutenant Kries, and I will be overseeing your testing today. Your helmets are over there," he pointed behind him to a rack of twelve helmets. "Your blasters are over there," he pointed to another rack.
"Thank you, sir," Sey'les and Wulf both said. Wulf had a serious face, Sey'les's face still wore a smile.
The blue Judicial helmets on the shooting range rack stunk and smelled like human sweat. Wishing she could have brought her own helmet, the Bothan cringed uncomfortably as she put one on her head.
"As you are well aware, there are 50 targets. You must hit 27 to pass. Agent Wulf? Would you also like to be recertified for dual wielding?"
"Yes sir," Wulf answered firmly.
"Very well. After your first round of testing, I will record your dual wielding results. Agent Sey'les, you will be on Lane 1, Agent Wulf, you will be on Lane 3," Kries said stiffly.
Sey'les grabbed one DC-17 blaster pistol from the rack, while Wulf grabbed two and put one in his holster. They walked to their lanes.
For the Republic standard shooting qualification, 10 shots were from standing position, then 20 were from kneeling and 20 from prone. For dual wielding, 25 were from standing and 25 were from kneeling.
The targets in their lane were fifty humanoid shapes, situated at various heights. Upon being blasted, each one would fall backwards. To get a perfect score, at the end, there would be none left standing in a firing lane.
Sey'les and Wulf stood still in firing position, with their feet placement in the proper stance.
"Standing portion, three, two, one, begin," Kries said in a very posh Coruscanti accent, trilling his 'r' in three.
Sey'les and Wulf fired off all of their shots methodically but quickly, finishing in under seven seconds.
"Kneeling portion, three, two, one, begin."
Unleashing yet more fire, Sey'les and Wulf knocked down many more targets.
After the smoke cleared, Sey'les began counting her targets. Damn. There are twenty-seven left. I am going to miss at least seven, she thought glumly.
"Prone portion, three, two, one, begin."
Sey'les and Wulf unleashed another onslaught of fire into their inanimate targets. They fell over with audible clunks.
This time, Sey'les was much slower and aimed very carefully. She did not want to miss a single more target.
"Very good," Kries said. "Agent Sey'les, you got 43/50. Agent Wulf, you got 47/50, most impressive!"
"Thank you, sir," Wulf said with a smile.
Sey'les had scored high enough for sharpshooter, but she had lost the expert qualification she earned for the first time last year. She forced herself to calm down and said professionally "thank you, sir."
"Sorry about that Sey'les, you were only two off," Wulf said turning to her with a wince.
"It's all right, congrats." Sey'les smiled as she left the shooting lanes. She put her blaster back in its holster, her stinky public helmet that smelled of human sweat back on its rack, then sat down on a bench behind the shooting range.
"Standing dual wielding portion, three, two, one, begin."
Wulf started blasting away targets with two his arms. As he always did, he used his top two arms to shoot the twenty nearest targets, then, grabbed his blaster on the left top arm with his right bottom arm to shoot the targets further away, using both of his right arms. Doing this, he was able to use his pistol's sights. It was an unfair advantage Ardennians had, but not officially against the Republic's rules.
Sey'les grinned toothily, unaware that she had completely zoned out.
"Agent Sey'les?" a male voice asked suddenly.
Sey'les snapped out of it and jumped up, standing at attention. "Yes sir?" she asked to a brown-haired human male. His face bore sharp features and he wore a dark green Naval uniform with a Commander rank.
"Good to meet you. I am Commander Tarkin. You can call me 'Governor' though."
Sey'les blinked a couple of times in shock. Her fur swirled with intense suspicion. Governor? Who the kriff does this guy think he is!? "All right Governor. Yes, Governor?" she asked in a question.
"I am most impressed with you and Wulf. If you would like Agent, I am developing a third shooting range for the express purpose of testing officer's abilities to handle new situations and weapons."
"I would be honoured to Governor," Sey'les said with a smile.
Sey'les could now hear Kries saying "Very good job Wulf! That is a new personal best. I have never even seen anyone score 45/50 dual-wielding."
Wulf walked off the range with an extremely cocky Ardennian grin that screamed I am awesome.Somehow, it made him even more attractive. If Tarkin were not standing there, Sey'les probably would have drooled.
"Hey Wulf," Sey'les yelled excitedly. "Come meet Governor Tarkin."
"Governor?" Wulf asked as he put his helmet away. "Nice to meet you Commander."
"Nice to meet you too Agent. Call me Governor," Tarkin insisted.
"Okay, nice to meet you Governor," Wulf grunted.
After Tarkin turned away and headed for the turbolift, Sey'les and Wulf followed.
The Ardennian gave Sey'les an exasperated expression that said who the hell does this Commander think he is?
Sey'les suppressed a giggle, forced her snout shut, and breathed furiously through her nose.
"You know Sey'les, I was taught how to fly a snubfighter by two Bothan pilots," Tarkin remarked as he hit the down button.
"That's pretty rogue," Sey'les said. "But Governor, we are on the lowest level of the arcology," Sey'les said.
"Rogue indeed," Tarkin said, turning to Sey'les with a smirk. "One of the Bothans used to say that too. As for your other comment—not anymore Agent. The corps of engineers finished this under level two nights ago and stocked it with flora this morning."
"Flora?" Sey'les asked curiously.
The turbolift opened into a steamy, dark, horribly hot, mucky jungle. Steam billowed into the turbolift. Sey'les gasped and started panting, letting her tongue hang out a little. The plants smelled like jungle, but the soil smelled very fresh and earthy, like the soil of a farm, not like a natural jungle's mucky soil. The ceiling was extremely high, at least 100 meters from the floor allowing for many tall trees.
Like the shooting course, it had a rack of blasters, but these were a type of blaster rifle Sey'les had never seen. The helmets on the other rack were dark green instead of blue.
"Welcome to the new qualification course," Tarkin said with a smirk.
"Thank you, Governor," Sey'les panted.
Wulf chuckled a little bit and sighed at Sey'les. Turning to Tarkin, he asked, "Governor, what is a this exactly?"
"It the qualification course for 'Rangers'—what I like to call the Navy's Direct Action Operatives," Tarkin said. "I hope the name sticks, mind you. I will tell you more, assuming you pass. If you are successful, you two will be the third and fourth to pass so far."
"Thank you for the opportunity Governor," Sey'les panted, her fur swirling nervously. For the first time today, she was worried. Blast this humidity! If I fail it is because Tarkin couldn't keep the temperature to a sensible level.
"You are most welcome Agent," Tarkin said with a wry grin.
To Sey'les, his grin screamed let's see how a Bothan handles this heat and humidity, shall we?
"The way this works," Tarkin explained, "is much like the target course upstairs. However, you will each move through your lane, clearing obstacles as you get into position to hit your targets. Some of your obstacles will give you non-lethal, but painful, electric shocks. Suffer more than three shocks, and you fail. Like the normal shooting course, you must hit 27 to pass."
Sey'les gulped nervously. Electric shocks?! This Tarkin guy is insane.
"Each lane is divided by blast-proof windows so do not be afraid to shoot targets on the sides," Tarkin added.
"Sey'les," Wulf said in a whisper as he grabbed his long blaster rifle equipped with a shoulder strap.
"Yes?" she whispered cautiously.
"Don't forget to climb," he said as he pointed to nets that looked like they were for climbing.
"I won't," she panted, slipping her rifle over her shoulder.
"This qualification, unlike the normal course, is not divided into standing, kneeling, and prone. When you identify a target, you can go into whatever position you like to shoot it. You have ten minutes to complete your lane. Any questions?"
Sey'les and Wulf both silently stood there, wearing their blue Judicial uniforms and green Naval helmets, rifles slung over their shoulders.
"Good," Tarkin said. "Three, two, one…" he paused dramatically as if for effect. "Begin."
Sey'les stepped into her lane. She could make out a trip wire in front of her and cautiously stepped over it. There were eight targets around a baby Wroshyr tree. Sey'les methodically shot all eight while standing, aiming her blaster rifle carefully, one with each shot.
This is definitely the weirdest course I have been on.
Walking through the jungle, Sey'les encountered a Kuvara tree on her left covered in fruit. She sniffed the air curiously and hungrily, took a step towards it and—
—An intense pain flared up on her belly, every bit as painful as being burned. "AAAHHHHH!" she shrieked, falling backwards to her buttocks, tears welling in her eyes. "SHASSA!" she snarled angrily staring at the electric wire in front of her.
"Sey'les?! Are you all right?" Wulf asked, unable to hide the fear in his voice.
"Yeah," Sey'les croaked back. "Shassa that shtak hurts!"
"Okay well, watch out," Wulf suggested simply.
Sey'les heard some dinging noises from overhead. Wulf was shooting targets… on the ceiling?
Sey'les looked up. There were eleven targets over her head. Tarkin, you sneaky bastard, she thought. Lying down on her back, she pointed her blaster rifle up at the ceiling and started firing. She wasted one shot, hitting all eleven with twelve shots.
Looking to her left and right, she realised she had missed some targets in the bushes. She quickly shot at those and continued on more cautiously.
As she continued on, occasionally, a nearly invisible, spiderweb-like electric wire would cross her path. Sey'les would duck under it or step over them. Twice more she also encountered trip wires.
Now that she knew to look in every direction, she was hitting targets more often. Eventually, she encountered the tree with a net. Her arms and legs felt sore from the push-ups and three-click run she had done earlier, but she climbed, panting more heavily. As she climbed into the canopy, branches and leaves kept bopping her snout and nose. She sighed in relief when she finally cleared the canopy branches.
To her dismay however, the air at the top of the tree was even hotter and more humid than on the ground. From this angle, she could see the fences dividing the lanes, and in the tops of the lower trees, dozens of more targets. She knelt down and fired at them. Hitting targets positioned below her was actually something she had never had to do. She wasted a few shots and her blaster ran out of charges with three targets still standing in the trees below.
As Sey'les climbed down the tree, she wondered how she had done. She knew that she had hit enough to pass certainly, but probably missed ten of fifteen in the bushes.
Wulf was already waiting at the end with Tarkin.
Tarkin had sweat on his forehead but was handling the heat much better than Sey'les.
Wulf did not seem bothered by it at all. It seemed to be a perfectly comfortable environment for the Ardennian.
"Very good, you both passed," Tarkin said with a smirk. "Wulf, you got 45/50 with no shocks and are only being who has scored Expert. You are also the only being to escape this course without a single shock, Sey'les… you got 36/50 with one shock. You both passed. Welcome to the Rangers," he said extending a handshake.
"Thank you, Governor," they Sey'les and Wulf both replied, each shaking his hand.
Sey'les's fur relaxed. Despite her uncomfortableness, despite her fear, she had done what she came here to do—get an awesome leadership position and keep Wulf.
"So, Governor, we are called 'Rangers' now not Agents?" Sey'les panted, her open snout giving a toothy smile.
"Yes, Captain Sey'les," Tarkin replied.
Sey'les stuck her tongue to the roof of her mouth as if to taste what 'Captain Sey'les' sounded like. Hmmmm I guess not bad sounding.
"I am putting both of you on my newly formed Ranger squad: Ranger Team 2. Sey'les, you will be team leader. For the next two weeks, we will be mostly doing paperwork. You both know the inside of the Judicial Department fairly well. I have not been a Judicial for over a decade. I want both of you to come up with some Judicials we can trust. I already have another Ranger on Ranger Team 1, also sifting through recruits. Unlike most Rangers, our taskforce—Ranger Teams 1 and 2, myself, and numerous civilians and members of the corps of Engineers, will be working directly with the Chancellor's Strategic Advisory Cell."
"What's the Strategic Advisory Cell, Governor?" Wulf asked curiously.
"Lieutenant, it is a joint Naval-Civilian-Corps of Engineers taskforce. Part of our taskforce advises the Senate, another gathers information, another is redesigning all of the military and judicial complexes on Coruscant to prepare for conflict, and there is a fourth taskforce, Captain Sey'les, you are familiar with this are you not?"
"Oh yes Governor," Sey'les panted breathily. "That poster of me you saw? Director Byno Doubton is making stuff that spins the Republic positively. It's like a human version of Bothan profamat," she said.
"We call it propaganda," Tarkin said wryly. "Profamat though? Hmm an amusingly Bothan way to describe it. Yes, Byno Doubton is my cousin actually."
Sey'les continued panting and looked down at the ground.
"All right Bothan, let's get you to the nice air-conditioned lift," Tarkin said with a smirk.
"Thank you, Governor," Sey'les said, her fur swirling with embarrassment and dancing with excitement.
Wulf chuckled.
Sey'les followed them back to the turbolift. Before they arrived, she came to a stunning realisation so curious that it broke her smile and gave her a serious face: Tarkin never laughs. Tarkin literally never laughs.What type of guy never laughs, ever?
o.o.o.o.o
"You are working for that monster Tarkin?!" Hashtivar exclaimed with shock.
"Monster?" Sey'les asked in a concerned voice.
"Geez, you need to read more!" Hashtivar yelled incredulously.
"Geez, you need to read more Captain or ma'am," Sey'les growled cautiously.
After swearing in an hour ago, Sey'les and Wulf had already dressed into their new green Naval uniforms with officer pendants on their fronts. Wulf wore a Lieutenant rank, and Sey'les wore Captain.
"I got discharged from the Judicial forces this morning ma'am," Hashtivar replied. "Haha! Sorry Sey'les, I just realised you now are the same rank as Captain Ozzel!"
Wulf started laughing.
"I suppose that might be funny," Sey'les said. She did not want the topic to change. "But back on topic, I got very weird vibes from Tarkin. What do you know about him?"
"Wilhuff Tarkin is a human from Eriadu. He formed this death squad called the 'Outland Regions Security Forces,' with the help of some Bothans, by the way—"
—Sey'les gasped. "He did say he was trained by Bothans…"
"Exactly, anyways, typical Bothan job," Hashtivar said with dark cynicism. "A couple of idiots from Clan Askar popped into a backwater Mid-Rim world and dropped some export-model Boola Carbines to a group of humans. Clan Otrek sent some advisors there and taught them how to fly snubfighters. Why? Because there were some pirates. The pirates were terrorising wide swaths the mid-rim, but the reason Clan Otrek trained these humans is that the pirates were bothering, well… No offence, you guys ma'am, and you Bothans didn't want to deal with the pirates yourselves and couldn't hire bounty hunters."
Sey'les did not like where this story was going.
"These humans were the Tarkin family, their servants, and a loads of Eriaduan lackeys," Hashtivar continued, after pausing for dramatic effect. "After rising through the ranks, Wilhuff Tarkin led this group of thugs, most of whom were his cousins, to fight the pirates. At the time, the Republic Judicial Forces were tied up with an ongoing crisis in the Dressel System. The Outland Security Forces did some really kriffed up things, and Wilhuff Tarkin was responsible for some of the worst atrocities."
Continuing, the Chelidae paused, and then began counting a list of crimes on his three-fingered hand. "I am talking summary executions, mass executions, burning beings alive in cargo containers thrown into stars. The Tarkins are bad news Sey'les. I am proud of you and Wulf, Captain, but you two really need to take care of each other and watch each other's backs."
Sey'les gulped nervously and stared wide eyed into a space on the wall over Hashtivar's bed, her fur flat in fear. What the kriff did I get myself and Wulf involved in?!
"That does sound messed up," Wulf said in an even voice. "But Hashtivar, we aren't pirates. I don't think Tarkin is out to get us. And also, he was very impressed with us."
"I suppose you are right," Hashtivar agreed waving his hand dismissively.
Sey'les sighed. "You're both right. We aren't Tarkin's enemies. That doesn't mean I like working for him, and Wulf, I am sorry I got you—"
"—Are you kidding Captain? This sounds like it is going to be fun, and we got a pay raise, psychopathic boss or not," the Ardennian replied sternly, folding all four of his arms.
"All right, still though, we need to stay on Tarkin's—Governor Tarkin's—good side," Sey'les muttered.
"Yeah seriously," Hashtivar said. "Watch out for each other. I'm paralysed. I can't vicariously live through your drama if you're dead in a ditch."
"That's not funny Hashtivar," Sey'les growled.