"You can't make that move," Ratnena said crossly as she twisted around in her cockpit seat to glare at Little Brother. He was sitting in copula behind her, looking excessively innocent to her eyes. When he beeped out an answer, she had to twist back around to look at the translation on her control panel, banging her elbow against the right side of the cockpit for the umpteen times since they left the Wraith base. She swore under her breath as she read that translation, half wishing that Tahiri had some of those worms left that could allow her to understand Little Brother without computer assistance.
Tahiri's understanding of the unique speech that the R-2's and R-5's use has become fluent enough that she could understand them, as long as they speak slowly and simply. Which was more then most humans can accomplish thanks to those worms. Unfortunately for Tahiri, and now Ratnena, when the Sweet Sunset was destroyed so was the last of her supply of the worms. Due to her reluctance to return to Zonama Sekot and her distrust of the other JedI, it was unlikely that she would get any replacements in the near future.
"Where did you get that rule from anyways, I've never seen that one before," Ratnena said as she racked her brain for not only the rule but for a maneuver to counter his new thrust into her battle line. To help kill the time during the long, out of the way, trip from the Wraith base to her home world Kidriff 5; they started a rather ruthless game of Quadrant. The game was big on Kidriff 5 when the Empire was still around and was still popular with the military people after they left the Empire.
When she was eleven, she learned about the game from a military team that had visited her school one day and even played a quick game, which she lost just as quickly. She has never been a good loser and having to go through the teasing afterwards from her alleged friends in her class and the humiliation at actually failing something drove her to read everything she could on the game. She spent weeks searching the Holo-net for anything and everything about Quadrant and when she felt ready, she asked that slim ball masquerading as a Head Master if they could invite them back for a simple rematch.
The carcass lover was very open to the idea; he wanted to encourage his 'special class' to engage in games of strategy since he felt that it sharpen their annalist skills. He was always reminding her and the others at school that they needed to seize every opportunity and challenge that is presented to them. This way they would be ready for the time when they can join the elite and help guild the 'low brows' who couldn't wipe their own noses properly without their generous assistance. He never said it in those words but the tone and frequency that he did remind them that they were better then 'normal' people made it clear that was his attitude on the subject.
"Yea, yea I remember it now," she said in a resigned tone after reading his translation. She gave him her answering move as she tried to readjust her position to one that was slightly less torturous. When Face released her for her leave, he had her take the X-wing, citing that public transport was too restrictive and slow to allow her the time she needed to spend with her family. He also wanted her to have a fast ship with enough firepower to help her out if she runs into trouble and to get back to the base if they needed her. At the time, it didn't matter to her how she got home as long as she did get to see her family. However, after a week spent in the cockpit with only short spans out of it while refueling she wished now that she had argued harder for a shuttle or the Sweet Sunrise. Sure, she need to log more hours behind the controls to keep her pilots status active and because she was not an excellent pilot but the comforters found in an X-wing were non-existent.
THAT IS NOT A LEGAL MOVE, RATNENA!
"Yes it is," she twisted back and gave him a sweet smile. "It is a variation allowed on Coruscant rule 345, 3rd addition. Look it up if you don't believe me."
Little Brother let out a sound that sounded a lot like a snort and fell silent as he checked his memory banks. She twisted back and relaxed until he acknowledges that her move was in fact legal. He said some more choice words, proving that he spend excessively amount of time around Tahiri and her, and then told her that he would have an answer soon. She let a smug smile cross her face as she remember how much Little Brother's reaction mirrored the reaction she got from the sergeant who agreed to the rematch.
When she sat down across from him again, all those years ago, he was plainly patronizing her. That didn't deter her from her battle plan; in fact, it only fueled her desire to wipe up the floor with his face. After studying the rules and different strategies for championing players from around the galaxy, she devised a plan that would allow her to appear to play sloppy and uncoordinated while in reality setting up an unbeatable offense. The sergeant tried to be nice to her, by pointing out her supposed errors, giving her the chance to change her moves, and by not attacking as aggressively as he should have, which annoyed her to no end since her whole plan counted on him being a brutal as he was the first time. Even through the relentless and cruel taunting from the other children, who being anywhere from four to five years older then she was had some very imaginative insults, and the stern disapproval from HIM, which unlike the taunts came closer to making her burst in to tears, she stuck to her game plan.
Which made it all the sweeter when she launched her counter-attack, the look of surprised followed closely with the look of horror as the sergeant tried desperately to counter her moves but failed. Over the next five hours, she was able to stay 7 moves ahead of him and when he finally conceded defeat, he laugh and congratulated her on the most outstanding game he had ever had the pleasure of playing. He also stated that when she was done with school she should give serious thought of joining the military or security force (not that there has ever been much of a distinction on Kidriff 5), she would have a very bright future there.
The reaction for the other children started out as shock and disbelief, they already hated her since she was a 'commoner', and her father was after all only a grease monkey, while they all came from upper class families. Their fathers were world leaders in politics, military and financial matters on Kidriff 5; they were sons and daughters of important people. They attended this school because of who their families are; she attends the school because who she is. They also had a strong dislike due to the simple fact that she was so much more capable and intelligent then they were. Their shock and disbelief turn in to hate and rage later after the lights were out for the evening, as they broke into her dorm room, held her down, and beat her unmercifully. Years of resentment and anger came boiling out of them as they took turns holding down on her bed while the others hit her as hard as they could with their soap wrapped in socks, so she would not bruise. She was younger and smaller then they were, she tried to fight back but was unable to protect herself. She had no friends to come to her rescue; ever since she joined the school, the others would ignore her or taunt anyone who dares to be friendly with a 'commoner'. She lost track of the time, all she knew was pain and loneliness unlike any she had ever experience before. They did not attempt to keep their voices down, nor did they gag her. Her screams must have been heard from one end of the dormitory to the other. She saw children from other classes peek in from time to time, she cried out for help but was ignored, a teacher or two also stopped in but instead of intervening they just nodded with benign approval of the actions of her tormentors.
Of course, when He came looking for her the next morning …
"Do you have an answer yet," Ratnena snapped out at Little Brother. She wanted to distract herself from thinking about him and the deep love and equally intense hatred she felt for HIM. Stop it girl, you have to stop thinking about HIM!
NO, Little Brother said in what she could imagine was very frustrated beep.
"Well, hurry up we will be there soon." Ratnena said squirming in attempt to get more comfortable. "Next time Poster Boy suggests I take an X-wing, I'm going to shoot him."
IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME,Little Brother said while making his 'giggling' noise.
"Sure it did," Ratnena then pitched her voice in a lame attempt to sound like Face. "Take the X-wing, it's faster and if we need you here you won't have to wait for a public transport." She let out a loud sigh and returned to her normal vocal range, "Did it do any good for me to suffer like this? No, the Empire is falling apart and what do they tell me; 'just enjoy your trip don't call us we'll call you!'"
When they stopped at Borleais to refuel and to allow her a chance to grab a bite to eat, Little Brother had done a routine scan of the Holo-Net News and found a low-level security report that reported the Empire was in the mist of a coup. The news report was long on speculation but low on facts. Using their security clearance and a very minor amount of slicing, at least that what she would call it if anyone caught them at it, to access the more classified materials in the system. What surprised her was the lack of pointers that such coup was being planned. Stacy Hall, an annalist who died on the Sweet Sunset during their suicidal attack against the Yuuzhan Vong, had told her and the others that there was no such thing as a perfect secret. Somewhere someone would slip up somehow and let the rancor out of the pit.
"One person can keep a secret, two can if they try really hard but the only way three people can keep a secret is if two of the three were dead," was how Elassar put it.
So looking over some of the reports, even if the original annalist had missed the pointers, with the benefit of hindsight the pointers should've stuck out. They should've stuck out worst then a Jedi in a smuggler hole, however there were none. As far as the intelligent reports were, concern there was nothing out of the ordinary happening in the Empire until the coup started. No large number of troops' movements, no suspicious fleet movements, none of the financial reports reported any suspicious banking transfers or unusually large expense reports being citied for anything except reconstruction cost. The Civilian news outlets had no reports of widespread discontent or uprising being targeted other then some minor terrorist cells, which has never been organized or sufficient numbers to pose this kind of threat to the power structure. As far as anyone could tell in the GFFA intelligent services, everyone in the Empire just woke up and decided to toss old Pellaeon out on his ear for no reason what so ever. Which made as much sense as the tooth fairy sneaking in to children's bed cambers at night and leave a credit for their rotten teeth?
Ratnena and Little Brother held off leaving long enough to download as much information as they could squeeze in to him and then head off to find a secure Holo-comm to contact the other Wraiths. She expected to talk to Face or Tahiri but she got Squeaky instead. In an around about way, using crude but effective codes, she learned that the other had been dispatched to investigate the events in the Empire. Her order had not changed, she was to go home and enjoy herself. As Squeaky explained it, Face and Tahiri wanted her relaxed and ready to assist them after the preliminary work was complete.
Even through she complained to Squeaky and Little Brother about being benched, to herself, she could admit that they had a point. There was really no reason to pull her back to slice and annualizes anything if they didn't know where to start at. After they had a better handle on where to send her and what information to gather, then she would be needed and until then, she was just excessive baggage. She understood it but she didn't have to like it. Especially since Tahiri was running off into danger without Little Brother or her there to keep the Vong out of trouble. The universe would implode before Tahiri learned to avoid trouble.
"Are you sure that is the move you want to make," she asked after he intruded on her musing with his latest response. He sounded very smug when he answered affirmative but then let out one very sour note when she responded with her counter move. Ratnena let out a soft chuckle at her partner before she tried to vocalize the problems she was having with the reports they borrowed on Borleais. "The way I see it there is only three logical explanations on the data we have seen on the Empire situation. One is that somehow they had been able to a mass the support for this coup without anyone spilling the beans on it."
THE ODDS OF A CONSPIRACY BEING ABLE TO CONCEAL ITS EXISTENCE AS COMPLETELY AS THE EMPIRE HAS ARE 67.908 10 50.
"Exactly, not impossible but it is incredible improbable. Even the Vong Free movement was discovered by others before we became aware of it and, unlike the Empire, we don't have the intelligent network set up to monitor our own military. The Chief of State even was aware of it before we reported to him officially, so it is very hard to believe that someone loyal to the Grand Admiral wouldn't had at least heard anything or report it to the Grand Admiral is hard to swallow. The second line of thinking is that every one of our information sources is known and was feed false information or they are all traitors."
THAT IS EQUALLY IMPROBABLE, NO TWO SPIES KNEW OF ANYONE OTHER THEN THEIR CONTROLLERS SO THEY COULD NOT GATHER A COMPLETE LIST OF SPIES. IN ADDITION, IF EITHER CONDITION EXISTED THEY WOULD HAVE THE TRAITORS AND LOYAL SPIES PASS GOOD INFORMATION AS WELL AS BAD TO INSURE SOME COUNTER INTELLIGENT WAS MAINTAINED AGAINST THE GALACTIC FEDERATION of FREE ALLIANCES. THE LACK OF ANY INFORMATION IS MORE LIKELY TO AROUSE SUSPICION AND INQUIRIES THEN PARTIAL INFORMATION WOULD CREATE.
"Exactly, we will find more spies and double agents in the investigation to follow this fiasco then we would ordinarily find. Our spies over there would also be very suspicious of any information they get after this or they would be dead by now if the Empire knew whom they were. Any way you slice it, the Empire would be throwing away years of work in minutes and yet have very little to show for it. I know the Empire is not the best or the brightest but still this would be the biggest bonehead move in history. Yet, the way they pulled off the coup in a mind-boggling success it is hard to believe they would screw up like that." Ratnena pulled up the executive summary that Little Brother and her had created on one of the scanner screens to review one more time. The one big advantage that she had over anyone, like those brats she attended school with, was her high IQ and her abilities to remember everything she saw and heard and to quickly recall that information. Little Brother and her had digested months of reports and broke them down to a 145 page summery that included their own conclusions about what was happening over there. She is going to drop it off in Squeaky's lap when she got home so he can beam it over to Poster Boy and Peacekeeper. She frown as she read his latest response in the game, while bring up a mental map of the game in which to see what move would be best to counter his, Ratnena continued with her analyzes. "So if the first two are, while not impossible they are both just too highly improbable, that just leaves us with what? That everyone just woke up and decided to go on a war path?"
THAT IS NOT ONLY STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE BUT IT WOULD ALSO BE ILLOGICAL.
"Since when are humans ever logical," she said teasing voice.
EVEN ILLOGICAL AND ANNOYING FLESHY, LIKE SOME WHOM I SHALL NOT NAME, DO FOLLOW A LOGICAL PATTERN, EVEN IF IT HARD FOR A DROID TO UNDERSTAND AT TIMES. EVERY OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE FOLLOWS A LOGICAL PATTERN.
"Even Tahiri?" Ratnena said softly as an idea flirted incomplete about the Empire and Tahiri. She also gave him her responding counter move while trying to retrace that half develop thought.
EVEN TAHIRI FOLLOWS A LOGICAL PATTERN EVEN IF THE HUMAN AND YUUZHAN VONG FACTORS CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT.
"That is not quite what I meant," she said frowning deeply as she struggled to verbalize her train of thought, "I meant her being a Jedi. Does her use of the Force or I should say can her use of the Force be explained logically?"
THE USES OF THE FORCE IS STILL A POWER SOURCE WHICH HAS NOT YET FULL EXPLAINED BY SCIENCE. Little Brother said after a very long pause, IF ANY LONG TERM STUDY OF THE JEDI AND THE FORCE WAS CONDUCTED A LOGICAL EXPLANATION WOULD BE DISCOVERED.
"But you don't have any explanation as to how she can do it, correct?"
ALL VARIABLES ARE NOT YET KNOWN AT THIS TIME.
"That is our biggest skyway block is right now, all the variables are still X." She said, again feeling frustrated that she couldn't gain access to the Empire to solve X. Without looking at the navigation computer, she began o readjust her straps and prepared to drop out of hyperspace.
When they dropped out of hyperspace, they arrived in the military corridor, which was closer to the planet, then the normal civilian space lanes. As Little Brother handled the initial immigration hassles, she started at the shimmering jewel that she had sprung from as she guided her X-wing into the proper holding orbit. Many emotions fought for dominance, love, hate, longing, fear; the one that won out surprised her the much was simple joy. She had never experience homesickness since she had spend more of her whole life away from her family then live with them. She loved her family, but she didn't know her family. Short vacations and the time spent away from jail never allowed her the opportunity to experience family as she has heard many others talk about. Maybe that is why Tahiri and I get along so well, neither one of us had anyone but ourselves. Like Tahiri, Ratnena had an extremely hard time trusting people and sharing with them when she was in trouble. A lot of that was due to her mother and her never having the time to learn about each other. Vacations just never seemed to long enough, she had four older brothers also competing for her mother's time and energy. After the abuse, she suffered from her classmates and HIM, when she was thrown out of school she was too ashamed and scared to confide to her parents why she left. They were clueless as to what really happened and never understood why she acted as she did, withdraw and lashing out. They always assumed it was them, she though with sadness, just like Tahiri. They were clueless on how to help me and I can't trust them enough. People hurt other people; she learned that early and often. Face and her parents never mean to hurt her and Tahiri would rather live on Zonama Sekot then to ever hurt her, Ratnena knew this but she just couldn't let go long enough to ask for help. It was funny, from a certain point of view, how she can trust Tahiri with her life repeatedly but couldn't trust her with her soul.
THIS IS A PROBLEM RATNENA.
"What wrong?"
THEY ARE NOT CONVINCE OF OUR AUTHORIZATION.
"Oh for the love of … connect me with the dirk walkers. I knew we should have made up some forged documents." With in seconds she heard the controller at the Lord Jinn Military and Security airfield.
"Corporal Erin here, ma'am."
"Miss Erin, what is the hold up? I am a citizen of Kidriff 5 and on limited leave from my unit in the G.F.F.A Defense Fleet. All that is in the order packet we forward to you upon entering the system."
"Yes ma'am, we are just doing a routine background check on you orders and authorization on using the X-Wing as personal transportation during your visit here."
"This is what happens when you try to fly the straight and narrow," Ratnena mumbled aloud. Little Brother used his giggling noise as she reestablished contact. "Control, I hope this won't take too long, I really need to take a shower before I am tagged as a hazard material."
"This will not take long ma'am, I will contact you when the check is complete." With that, the groundside closed down the connection.
"Nice to see that they are as warm and fuzzy as I remember," Ratnena said closing down her side of the conversation, "good to know that some things around here never change."
RATNENA, I HAVE TWO TIE-INTERCEPTS WITH KIDRIFF 5 SECURITY TRANSPONDERS ON AN INTERCEPT COURSE. THEIR WEAPONS ARE HOT BUT NO WEAPONS LOCK HAS BEEN DETECTED.
"Next time Tahiri reminds me about following the rules I am going to tell her where to shove it," Ratnena had Little Brother bring the contacts up on the main scanner. "Are you sure they are headed here to say hi to us?" Little Brother traced out their course for her, she saw that they had already passed and had to double back to come in from behind. "Well, maybe they are just excited to see me come home, you know a hero's welcome or something."
THEY STILL HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED A WEAPONS LOCK BUT ARE SLOWING DOWN TO ESTABLISH AN ESCORT FORMATION.
"X-Wing WS-0024 to control. Come in please," Ratnena started to get a bad feeling about this situation. Instead of the friendly control, she heard a very familiar voice coming from one of the interceptors.
"X-wing WS-0024 this is Kidriff Security, you are order to power down all weapons and follow us down to the base."
"Blinkie is that you?" Ratnena said in a false sweet voice. Blinkie was an old classmate of hers who had secretly slept with a blanket at night. If he didn't have that blanket, he would have a panic attack and run around the dorms until he was able to locate the blanket. He was the second most teased kid at the school who never liked her even before she gave him that nickname.
"That is Lt. Fern, Bora," he grounded out, "you will follow us down to the base, do you understand."
"Well duh, I can't very well leave my ship at a civilian port while I'm visiting my family, Blinkie. I know you have the IQ of a tree sloth but I figured even you would know that!"
"If you arm your weapons, attempt to flee or fail to follow my orders to the letter; I am authorized to use any force I deem appropriate."
"Oh yea, I flew all the way out here just so I can flee from the mighty thumb sucker, Blinkie. I came to visit my parents not to steal your blanket, so don't worry I won't hide it from you … I know how much it means to you." Ratnena heard a snort cut off and Blinkie snapping at his wingman. Ratnena let out a smile; she figured that someone would have spread the word about him. Several of the students teased him as badly as they teased her and she figured that the story would follow him to his grave.
"Bora, you have your orders, will you comply or do I finally get to give you what you deserve, freak?"
"I hear you," she said in lieu of several more choice responses, as much as she wanted to cut that kane a bar down to size she also didn't want to spend her entire leave in the brig waiting for Face and Tahiri to bail her out. "Send me the course I am to follow," after she got the course and headed to the surface she asked him what was going on.
"You are being arrested for thief and piracy of the X-wing and droid, desertion, and whatever else we can discover during your … interrogation." From the way he said that he was hoping that he could be the one to peel several centimeters off her skin. She gave out a small snort; he was too stupid to even figure out how to peel a fruit let alone a person.
"See, what did I tell you Little Brother, there is a penalty for going straight!"
