[19 BBY]
[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Task-force Cavalier, In Orbit Dalisor, Dalisor System, Yushan Sector, Western Reaches, Mid Rim]
Aayla Secura found it easy to forget this was a warship and not a luxury cruise ship as she sat in the imitation city park deep in city-ship turned fleet flagship. Her mind told her the 'sunny sky' was a combination of anti-grav and holo-generators after all; but it still felt alive in the Force as the leisure area seemingly served as a support hydroponics bay. She smiled faintly at the thought, as while it wasn't the Temple Gardens, far from it, but it helped calm her emotions, even if she had the silly urge to just kick off her shoes and run barefoot over the grass.
"You would almost think you we're on Ryloth wouldn't you?" she teased her companion for the day, Knight Offee, while watching as a group of, what she assumed were off-duty, Twi'lek females stroll by talking about making use of the swimming pool and sauna "Good taste on your boyfriends part, eh?"
"Master Secura..."
Aayla gave a huff of mild reproach at the embarrassed sounding reply, sitting back in the 'open air' cafe chair holding her, rather delicious, fruit drink in hand "Aayla, you can call me Aayla, Bariss, no need to be formal between us"
"Ma...Aayla, of course, sorry...it is very nice here, yes"
'Luminara trained you too formally...or perhaps I am too informal' she thought taking a sip and then sighing as she allowed herself to relax back into the chair "Better than most of the ships I've been on since this terrible war began..." she mused, then smiled gently at the young Knight who was clearly uncomfortable since her recent decision to choose Daron Stormcrow over Knighthood in her former Master's opinion. Aayla didn't really agree with that opinion "...and not a bad choice I must say. I think I shall enjoy staying here myself"
Knight Offee blinked, frowned, then started to give a mild glare in return "If this is like Master Unduli's efforts too..."
Aayla rolled her eyes, taking on a playful tone "Oh, don't think that at all. I wouldn't mind a bit of...spar...with your friend, but no more than more than any of the Twi'lek pilots wandering about this ship. Get ready for some jeal~ous~y Bariss when word gets around!" then grinned at the girl "I tease, but no, I'm here because I want to fight, and we Jedi need to stick together Bariss. Also, to keep an eye on Ventress and her...sisters, even if Luminara is unhappy about the idea"
It was more than that, as the Stormcrow needed to be watched as well...if only because he had Ventress influencing him, he was young, confident, and powerful, and Aayla could speak from experience how that could be tempting to drift towards the Dark Side. Another reason was the Quinlan was back, and had rejected their little Conclave on Solem, and instead joined up with KotaRahm as a subordinate. All Aayla wanted to do was rush over to join him...
Something that would be a terrible idea in her current state, after the nightmare and humiliation of the Hutt captivity, and staying on Solem doing nothing would only increase the temptation to up and leave. Raising younglings was a skill she didn't have much of in her opinion, and if Sheev 'I'm actually a Sith Lord!' Palpatine won the Galactic Civil War then their current haven wouldn't be exactly safe either. Nor was it a good idea to offend the person currently providing said haven for them and the younglings, and it was probably a good idea to build trust with him as Master Allie had told Master Luminara the same as Aayla.
Knight Offee made a face, causing Aayla to chuckle "I know, but that is why I intend to stay on here, join the ranks, fight as the Force wills"
"He'll never let you be a General you know? Daron's, well, he doesn't trust..."
Aayla shrugged drinking down the last of the sweet tasting concoction "That is perfectly fine with me Bariss! I never enjoyed it you know, the logistics, managing an army...it was a mistake found, even if I was told I was good at it, to accept the role. If your male is smart he'll make use of me as a Jedi should, or as a starfighter pilot, I'm good at that too. Even if I suspect earning trust will take quite some time, we, all of us opposing the Sith, need to pull together, and I'll accept not having a leadership role if it brings about a brighter future"
The others didn't seem to notice how power was starting coalesce in the Outer Rim, and how little many of those groups liked the Jedi. Corellia in the Core stood strongly in support of survivors of the massacre, along with worlds here and there across the explored galaxy, but that was as much tainted with self-interest and would not help out in the Rim. In a way she and the others had been incredibly lucky to have been ransomed from the Hutts when they had been, as if it had been now they wouldn't have been released.
Not with word the Hutts were offering a bounty for surviving female Jedi, Padawans or Knights, alive and unharmed, as of her last hearing. So, unless she fought to keep the Light held high, it was going to be a life on the run, hiding from Sith, and Seppies, and bounty hunters...and that wasn't something she'd allow if there was even a small chance to stop it. This monstrous Order Sixty-Six had shattered everything she'd cared about, taken away her home, but that wasn't the end, and Aayla had come back from horrors before, and the Order would do so as well. But, that meant taking a step into the unknown and standing strong first and foremost...
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[19 BBY]
[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Task-force Cavalier, In Orbit Dalisor, Dalisor System, Yushan Sector, Western Reaches, Mid Rim]
The Dalisor Merchant Fleet as it was called was a regional trade group masquerading as business conglomerate I found as I exited the meeting with the wine and dining executives/planetary leaders. It had been a long drawn out meeting, and Asajj was clearly bored as I was, though just as thankful it was now over and at least we'd gotten a meal out of it. In the end their support was only going to come from a combination of intimidation, and supporting their defences against the perceived danger of the human Lortans, who were all a bunch of religious fanatics apparently.
Not that I disagreed as it seemed Lorta had been threatening its neighbours for generations, and were currently starting to act on those threats in small ways once again. Maybe big ways if their expanding Fleet, and local feelings, were any indication; something that'd be danger if they decided to try conquer nearby territories under my authority. Of course it was also an opportunity, as if they were dead set on war, or on threatening it, then it would be a useful banner for me to rally local support to our cause. Something that made clear where our next destination was going to be I found as the mag-lev accelerated and took us towards the bridge.
"Success?" Asajj queried and I shrugged.
"Maybe, time will tell if they'll deliver on their side of the deal. For now it looks like we need to warn off the local would be conquerors, or worse comes to worst, deal with them if they're a threat"
She frowned "It would build our reputation further"
"Yeah, it would, and cost us ships, crews, and ammunition...all precious resources right now. Still, if we can bring this Sector fully on board it'll allow much easier support of forward forces at Bomis Koori and up the rest of the hyperlane. Worth the risk, even if it's going to cost precious time and resources to do it as we can't afford regional warlords popping up, a few of the others are supposed to be having trouble enough with rogue Confederate ships, or simply resistance bands and this is the same"
Defeating two Confederate Sector Fleets had done wonders for stability on the higher levels, but many issues were provincial in these parts, and many worlds had barely heard there was a war on, let alone of recent events or battles. The Dalisor didn't suffer from that problem, and they clearly knew of our victory, but that was partly what made them so useful to recruit to the cause as they not only brought their trade network to the table – they also brought their information one as well. With the hyperlanes being mined, and interdictor technology starting to reappear once again, along with the crumbling of the Holo-Net due to differing governments, such things as merchant ship captains gossip was going to jump in value...
I ended that stream of thought as my comms beeped and I pressed a button on my wrist "Stormcrow here"
"Sorry to disturb Captain-General, but we've received news..." Yulen's voice came to my ears "...that there's been a major engagement over Kuat between the Corellians and the Chancellors faction. Mandalorians too from Seppie intercepts"
I nodded to myself "Do we know the result of the engagement?"
"Unknown as yet Sir, save the Corellians and Mandalorians retreated in disorder by what information we've seen so far, so assumptions is the Kuati won"
"Right, a reasonable one, but we need to find out more. I want a hunting-dog squadron to head up the line, see what they can hear, and I want an update from Eriadu at their earliest convenience on whatever Coruscant informs them. I'll be up on the bridge shortly and I'll take the briefing then" I answered before cutting the line at the affirmative from Yulen as I glanced at Asajj "Seems someone's gone after the Supreme Chancellor, and likely failed from what little Yulen's heard so far"
"Hmm...perhaps he died in the battle?"
I gave a 'we can but hope' shrug in response "Only time will tell, but it could mean a lot to us, or it could mean nothing, depending on the result. I'm going to go talk to Braika after this and see what we can do if the situation in the Core changes significantly. If so, and I am called away, how do feel about some...aggressive negotiations with the Lortans in my stead..."
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