Chapter Seven – Playing With the Enemy
The information on the screen was of little value to the green-eyed admiral staring at it. She was just watching another officer open the packet, her gaze shifting every so often to the formerly-Rebel Alliance slicer, quite happy with the way they'd gained this information. The slicer in question was leaning on a wall next to the door, her hands rested on her stomach.
Admiral Daala, while not what many would call a 'compassionate' woman, had to give a slight smile inwardly. She'd always detested little children; however, Imperial kids were far better than New Republic kids. And the added weight of the most recent chain of events was definitely in her favor when it came to putting down bribes and threats. Her attention shifted from the computer hacker back to the monitor, gaze now scanning the information as it came up.
* * * * *
Opposite her, standing near Daala, was the form of an easily distinguishable Sith mother. Yet no matter how much she detested the woman, Adra could do nothing to show it. She didn't want to appear to need more 'persuasion' to the Empire, now did she?
Instead, she merely unfocused her gaze, leaving it to rest unblinkingly on a groove in the wall between two of the durasteel sheets that covered the walls. Admiral Daala, diagonal from both Jori and herself, was standing with her arms crossed, reading the information coming onto the screen. Mentally, she smirked at that. Sure, the admiral could believe she had the most current information all she wanted. Adra just had to hope that she was systems away when the Imperial found out it was outdated by months.
The information seeming to satisfy both the Sith and the Imperial, Adra watched as the pair of them nodded to one another. Admiral Daala then turned to her, a slight smile on her features.
"I have to say, Loran, I'm quite impressed," she gestured to the stormtroopers on either side of the room, before beginning to walk out the door. Adra took her gesture to mean for her to walk with the admiral as well. As much as she detested it, she followed the order.
"Thank you, Admiral," Adra replied, doing her best not to mutilate the words into hatred.
The pair continued walking, Adra in the gray detention uniform, Admiral Daala in the brilliant red. "Of course, Loran. Now, about this little jaunt we're taking to Cloud City. You understand, of course, that for appearance sake it's necessary for you to remain in the detention center at that time. Apart from that, we have different quarters already set up for you." She glanced over at Adra, yet kept her pace going down the hall.
The Jedi pilot, ignoring the slight throb that was beginning in her left calf, nodded with a grim smile. "Perfectly understandable, Admiral. Rebel minds typically believe things at first impressions, so it makes complete sense."
Behind her, she sensed a severe sense of dislike pouring off the Sith mother. Jori Daragon had already been ousted from her place next to Admiral Daala when traveling the kilometer-long corridors on the Star Destroyer. Now she was also being ousted from the spot of "Admiral's Pet Force-User". Somehow Adra got the impression that there would be no 'female bonding' going on between the two of them in the very near future. Not that she would be open to the idea anyway.
"Ah, excellent," Daala was saying. "Well, I'll leave you with the afternoon free then. We should be arriving in Cloud City in six days, so don't worry about anything just yet. Now I understand that you'd prefer to avoid General Tallon, however, would it be possible for you to put together a somewhat-formidable appearance at a dinner?"
It was very obvious at this point that Jori Daragon was seething. Adra made a mental note to remember this for Mara's delight, if nothing more. Another thing this conversation proved was that Admiral Daala at least had respect for moody pregnant women, though Adra was hardly at that stage of her lovely nine month stretch. But because the woman had obviously never had children, she could use it to her advantage. And Adra had every intention of doing just that.
"I'll see what I can do, Admiral, but I don't know if it would be possible. 'Fresher visits might interrupt the flow of the conversation," she said, the tone and look the perfect picture of sincerity.
Admiral Daala nodded, her eyes never leaving their mark at the end of the corridor. "Perfectly acceptable, of course," she turned to look at Adra. "Now if you'll excuse me, Loran, I need to see to some things on the bridge. I'm sure you'll be able to find your way back to your quarters."
Adra nodded simply, ready to use the opportunity of 'getting lost', though she'd practically lived on Star Destroyers when she was really young, as an excuse to gather more information. Like a layout map of the ship, for example.
* * * * *
Nicola went over the plan in her head yet another time, running over everything that could possibly go wrong, and things that were likely to be forgotten. On board the Star Destroyer Drive Force, the eleven Wraiths all were gathered around in a pilot's lounge. Face was chittering with Kell, Cloud and Ryok, not an uncommon sight. No doubt he was talking off nerves, or whatever he wanted to call it. Because, of course, Face never got nervous, what with being an actor and all.
Next to Cloud was a solemn faced Tyria, her hand wrapped in her husbands', though there was no other show of nerves from the computer hacker. Past her, Asyr and Gaeriel were sitting, saying nothing. The former of the two appeared to be a bit more centered than usual, almost as if her mind was thinking over too many things at once. Nicola just had to hope the pilot would have her mind cleared before it was time to do the real work.
Gaeriel, on the other hand, appeared to be trying to get Asyr to loosen up. The politician Jedi would have no part whatsoever in making the moves on the Gorgon. Instead, she would be present at negotiations with Daala and the Imperials, and also the vital Force link to the group on board the Star Destroyer. If worst came to worst, Gaeriel would receive a Force-message telling her to stall the Imperials if the "negotiations" ended sooner than planned.
Bror, seated next to her, was silent. As was usual, he was reading her datapad over her shoulder, merely going over the plan in his head again. Tyria Tainer, seated next to her husband, was listening half-heartedly to the demolition experts' talk. And, of course, ever-silent Jade was seated on a couch across the room, her gaze on her datapad. This was definitely going to be an interesting venture, if nothing more.
