Quarrels and Quills

Theron Shan

"Oh, it's not going in my mission report either," Theron replied. "This isn't SIS business. It isn't something the Republic cares about. This is my own little... aside."

She had tipped her hand a little. Showed a card or two. He had no doubt there were many, many more she was hiding - he would expect nothing less - but he would repay the candor with a bit of his own.

"I can't help feeling somewhat responsible. I should have seen this coming. They were an obvious target. We knew Volent was using the market as a cover, for goodness sake. But I missed it. I didn't see it coming at all. I was angry about what those other SIS goons did, and I got distracted by it. I didn't see the big picture. I can't go back in time and fix that, but I can do what I can to make it right now. Fortunately, my friend Felix here has a connection; we don't know many details yet, but we know where to find the Evocii."

He gestured to the ship.

"If you want to come, wheels up in five. It'll be a small party, just the people you see here and Visper. Don't want to attract too much attention. Though if we end up having to evacuate the tribe, attention may be unavoidable."

Theron started to turn back to his packing, then added casually, "Oh, and I won't tell anyone about your friend. Don't worry."

He returned to loading cargo.


***

Gina regarded the Jedi with surprise yet again.

"I... am not used to such consideration," she said finally. "Things I felt were sensitive have never been a concern to anyone at Volent. This is... new to me. Whatever you need to do. Whatever you need me to do. I want Volent stopped. I don't want them to keep doing what they did to us. Whatever it takes - whatever little I can offer - you have my full cooperation."

Padawan Dallyn

He had figured out that something was up when Theron came dashing into the landing area looking for Felix. Their voices were low and their conversation seemed strangely furtive despite the fact that it always seemed that a group of people were going off somewhere to rescue someone. Well, unless it was Jedi business. Then everyone knew about the business and at best two people went to do anything about it.

So the fact that something was going on and the circle was being kept so tight raised Dallyn's interest levels significantly. He already wanted to spend more time around the SIS operative - if he could get on the team, he'd get the chance to learn more about how the SIS did things. How they helped people the Jedi wouldn't. But if he asked Theron, Dallyn had a funny feeling the man would turn him away. Sure, he thought he'd done well on Mek-Sha, but that wouldn't give him a clear pass on whatever this secretive mission was about.

Dallyn decided to try a different tack. He found Master Visper moving between piles of crates, clearly looking for something. He took a deep breath and approached her, bowing his head over steepled fingers when he knew she'd seen him.

"Master Visper, I wish to accompany you on your mission. Please allow me to put my training into practice."

Of course, he had no idea what the mission was about...but it didn't matter. He wanted to be on it.

Visper Averrod-Iresso

Visper regarded Dallyn for a moment.

Then she said, "This is a very serious mission. Innocent lives are at stake. There will be people counting on us, and if we fail, no one else is coming to their aid in our place. We cannot have any distractions."

She met his eyes pointedly.

"An example of such a distraction would be a padawan who has half of his brain occupied by what will happen when his Master figures out that he's slipped off."

Her voice was calm, free of judgment, but firm.

"You can show me that you have the maturity to accompany us on this mission by having the maturity to speak to your Master and make your case to her. If you secure Jedi Lin's approval and return before we depart - and only if you do so - you may join us."