Chapter Twenty Two
Predator, brig
It was quiet, but for once this was unsettling Kesra more than any noise would do. In fact, it had been quiet for quite some time now. There had been no intrusions by storm troopers, no prisoner being hurled away to an "interrogation", just someone who threw ration packs into the cell at a random rhythm. Well, at least we are not left to starve., Kesra thought a little vexed. Not because they were left alone by Chesfer, mind you, but because there seemed to be the very real danger of being forgotten entirely and left to starve and thirst deep in the belly of an Imperial warship.
Another thing was that not only the bickering between Cayr, R'siikhi and Whares had stopped some time ago but also the conversations in general. Kesra found herself growing more and more restless, and her hunter senses told her that it was the same with the others. She felt like the present calm was the calm before the storm that would broke loose once everyone had surpassed the frustration level.
She heaved a sigh and took a look around. Cayr had settled into a brooding mood, sitting on her bunk with one leg dangling idly to the side and a sufficiently dark look on her face to match the mood she was radiating. Whares and R'siikhi sat as far away from each other as possible, both starring at opposite directions. Dsa'Osra, the Cath, had curled up into a tight ball with her tail slightly twitching from time to time, appearing like a sleeping kitty. Deira had brought her knees to her chin and had her eyes closed. Form time to time a silent tear would slip from them but other than that it seemed she had herself cut off completely from the rest. H'sishi had still the apathetic air around herself that she had when they had brought her back from the last torture session. Kesra feared that with that Chesfer had broken the friendly, understanding and calm Ishi Tip. And the last one – Anasu – had detached herself from them by lying on her bunk and showing them only their back. Kesra sighed again.
Which earned her an intimidated look from Cayr. "Quit that stupid sighing now, will you?" The Rodian flexed her fingers. Calm, she reminded herself, stay calm. You won't make it better by breaking lose a fight. "And don't look at me like that. Don't look at me at all." Before she could say anything, Whares piped up: "Oh, quit it already, fly girl. What's she done to you anyway, huh?" Cayr gave her an equally dark look and hissed: "Nobody asked you, Commando. I was talking to the Rodian, not you." Whares snared. "You were giving her orders, not talking to her. Who do you think you are, huh?"
By now, all the other prisoners – even H'sishi – had begun to show interest in the events unfolding. Whares stood up from her bunk and sauntered over to Cayr. The other woman stood up as well, provokingly slow. "You really want a hand-to-hand fight, Commando?" The Private straightened up and pushed her chin up. "You afraid, fly girl?" Kesra could almost see the sparks fly between the two women.
And she was pretty sure that whoever was monitoring their cell was enjoying the show thoroughly. This was not good. Once they saw them getting physical they knew that they had finally broken the trust between them. So she did the only thing she could think of. "Whatever happened to "not letting them divide us"?", she asked, and suddenly all eyes were on her, including those of Whares and Cayr. Okay, now don't screw this up. "You got anything to say on the matter, Rodian?", a now not only slightly vexed Cayr asked in a dangerously calm voice. "Yes. Don't see that you are doing just what they want you to do? Whatever it is why they stopped the tortures, one effect of it is that we start growing anxious and restless and that sooner or later we will be jumping at each others' throats because we have no other possibility to vent off the frustration. Haven't you all been seeing it? All this tension building up, all this restlessness that has been growing?" R'siikhi snorted. "What are you, some kind of Jedi?"
"I…"
"She doesn't have to be.", cut in the silken voice of Dsa'Osra, the Cath. "You don't need Force powers to sense what's going on with us. Admit it, all of you are frightened by the sudden loss of interest in us, and everyone wonders what this means. And this is getting on all our nerves gradually. If we aren't careful, this will lead to just one big fight in the end. We need to be aware of that." In Cayr's eyes Kesra could see the blatant aggression toward her and Dsa'Osra, and for a moment she just wished this all to end. No matter how, just end.
But then H'sishi spoke up the first time after slipping into the apathetic state she had been in. "I see the aggression, Telsij, but you know as well as I do that neither Kesra nor Ryana or Ganna are the rightful receivers for it. Spare it for those who deserve it. And try to vent off the remaining in some kind of exercise. Which applies to everyone here. You all save yourselves a great deal of trouble with it."
Everyone starred in disbelief at the Ishi Tip. After the broken woman she had been when she had been brought in by the storm troopers no one had expected her to say anything ever again. And now she had made one hell of a statement. Which seemed to have made an impression as well on Cayr as on Whares who both loosened up their stances and returned to their respective places.
Kesra shut her eyes and leant her head back. That was a close call. They had really almost come to losing it completely. Even if there was a new cease-fire for the time being Kesra still felt that it was only a matter of time before the fragile trust and acceptance among the prisoners would shatter under the pressure of captivity and confined spaces.
Starfield, Capt. Morgan's office
Captain Morgan nodded towards her XO. "Well, you've seen the message. What do you think?" Commander "Growl" D'Jan, a Shistavanen, furrowed his massive brows and said in a low rumble: "Rannan and you haven't been on exactly good terms… I'd rather not trust him." Thoughtfully, Morgan starred off into space for the blink of an eye and then nodded slowly. "Superficially seen… yes, I'd agree with you. But as much faults as Rannan has: He is no traitor. He maybe hotheaded, stubborn and obnoxious, but he is honest and loyal. And he directs the more destructive streaks of his nature towards the enemy. Besides, his XO is more by the book than even you or me, and she seems to have quite an influence on him. No, Rannan wouldn't write something like this if there was any doubt about it being true." The Shistavanen growled a bit, a sign that he didn't quite a agree with her but trusted her in her judgment nonetheless. "So what will we do about this?"
Morgan – a woman in her late thirties who had started her military career just before Palpatine had seized power completely and had defected after eight years – drummed slightly with her fingers on her desk. "If I read that message correctly Rannan and Lochlin are in a dire situation. They know their captain is a traitor but they don't know who else is involved. And the fact alone that Rannan sent someone a message means that even he doesn't see any possibility to resolve this situation on his own." Growl bared his impressive teeth and said: "So you're saying we accept their request and meet the Liberty?" Though she knew he wouldn't like it, the Captain nodded. "Yes. A capital ship's captain who fraternizes with the enemy is nothing to be tempered with. Zifra needs to be stopped and disposed off." Her First Mate nodded, with just a hint of reluctance. "I agree. But there are a few things needing to be taken care off. As I take it we will not be able to contact Rannan safely on the Liberty. And we will not be able to speak to him in a safe environment there. Which means we have to get him and that Lieutenant Lochlin over to us. And we need a waterproof reason why we are joining the Liberty, even if it is only temporary."
"Damn right you are. But I wouldn't be infamous Captain Nomo Morgan, clever and ambitious bitch, if I hadn't already thought of that. Here's what we're gonna do…"
Liberty, briefing room
Marcus glanced around and took a mental inventory of his squadron. Kenzy and Blenwell, sitting as far from each other as possible and making a point of not even looking in the direction of the other from the corners of their eyes. Ridiculous., he thought. Then his gaze wandered over to the two Devaronian sisters. Rani, the older and always the stronger one, had a supportive arm wrapped around her sister, Kay. The girl's eyes were puffy and red, and she seemed to have lost weight, too. Inwardly, he shook his head. She was no way fit to fly but they needed every pilot. Then he took a look at Flann. There seemed nothing wrong with him at first glance, but Marcus knew better now. He'd found the man in the pilots lounge, nursing at least his third glass of cheap whiskey, and it had only been late morning. The last glance he gave Nien Numb, the Sullustan. At least that one is neither a troublemaker nor lovesick nor anything else off the trolley., Marcus thought. The mouse-eared non-human glanced right back at him, expectant as it seemed, and eager to listen. And that was all that was left of a squadron that had just a few months before, been a squadron at full size. Well…
"People… you wonder why I summoned you here, right?" Without waiting for any answers, he continued. "Well… as you can see we are shrunken down to a meager little bunch. And I've been… not a good leader lately. For that… for that I'm sorry." He looked around. Dammit, people, say something., he thought a little angry. "I didn't see some things I should have seen. Nien, I completely ignored your outstanding flight performance in the last battle." The Sullustan twittered a short cadence. In his time knowing Numb, Marcus had learned to interpret that as meaning "It's okay, don't dwell on it.", and he was thankful for it.
Then he looked at Kay. "Kara, I'm really, really sorry about your loss and I… I just don't know what to say. Randy was friend to me, and I just… I'm sorry for letting you and Deraani alone with this." The young Devaronian looked and him and give him a watery smile. "I know. It's okay, you got your own demons." He just nodded. And went over to Flann. "And you, Pat… I should have noticed that the lounge becomes more and more your quarters. This has to stop, and you know it. If I find you even once more in the lounge, I'll render you unfit to fly. Understood?" For a fleeting second Marcus was afraid Flann would put up a fight but the big man just run a hand over his face and then nodded defeated. As the last, he adressed both Kenzy and Blenwell. "And finally: Saron, Marten, both of you – stop this ridiculous ignoring game. Whatever it is that's going on between you, keep it between yourselves. Or talk it out. Whatever. Just don't let it influence your interaction with the rest of the squadron and your team work because I will not – under no circumstances – change the squadron roster just because you two are both unable to talk out a conflict. Get over it or expect a serious lecture. Understood?" Slowly, Kenzy nodded, and in the same moment Marten gave him a "Yes, sir.", which surprisingly didn't sound the least bit mocking, just weary.
Sufficiently satisfied, Marcus clapped his hands and said: "Well, people, and I think, we shouldn't forget…", and then he was cut off by his beeping comm. Making a face he pulled it out and answered it. "Lochlin here. What is it?" A slightly agitated voice said: "Rannan here. I think I've got interesting news for you. Meet me in hangar bay 2D4." Marcus just answered with a "All right, I'm coming.", signaled Kenzy to accompany him and told the rest of the squadron: "Before I was going to say that we shouldn't forget socializing and just plain having fun, but I take it at the moment this will have to be postponed. Try to relax though." With that he finally went to find Rannan.
A/N: Wheeeeeeeeee, I'm on a roll, people. Can't quite believe it myself, but I have enough energy for at least two or three more chapters in the next two weeks (question is, though if I've got enough time… and if real life doesn't catch up at some point and drain everything out). And I think (and hope), after the next chapter things will definitely heat up and you'll get to see some action (all right, keep those "Finally!"s low enough I don't hear them, okay?). Anyway, one huge thanks goes to my latest reviewer Bjrn. Keep up the reviewing, and I'll keep up the up-dating ;) That a deal? (and hey, pssst, check out "Paper Cup" and "Hallelujah", they are tags for the 20th chapter)