The Tip of the Spear

Lucky will suggest a quick search of the warehouse to find information or ressources they could bring back to the station.

He will also suggest keeping the news of the senator discreet, at least until they are safely back to base. For security reason first of course, but there may be value to seeing who will investigate the warehouse after. He also suggest that the senator may benefit from some time before handling the pressure of her reappearance.

On the way back, the trooper meditate on the mission. While the mission was undoubtedly a success, he found himself lacking or unprepared on too many occasions. He was a good soldier, and that had worked in his favor, but that was not enough here. He would need to broaden his horizon a bit. More than a bit actually.

Luckily, he already had some ideas of where to start when he was back at base.

Wals, though never the most loquacious Jedi, was withdrawn as the team cleaned up the site to evacuate. He quietly urged haste and silence in their retreat. It was his intent to slip away with no one the wiser, politics be damned. That was a matter for Senators, and he did not feel himself in a condition to address the one at hand, much less exchange meaningful dialogue.

He came to rest only when the ship had taken off and was on course to Denon, sitting cross-legged in the hold, trying to center himself after the brief but intense battle. A hand hesitated as he unclipped his saber's tassel from his belt, setting it in front of him, as he rested his hands on his knees, drawing up his hood, losing himself in contemplation.

After the Senator is safe in their ship, receiving what food, water, and comfort that they can offer, Ani contacts her command with Edite present.

She informs them of the emergent situation, and the result. She advises that if they must be told something, that the Thaerian Military only be told that the mission is ongoing, but that it's objective has moved beyond the bounds of their territory.

She makes sure to relay explicitly to them, the "terms" of her "deal" with Epukang, and his seeming agreement to flip on the party who ordered him to "care" for the Senator. Particularly noting that she didn't promise the sugi that he wouldn't be prosecuted for his crimes, but his cooperation - if it proves legitimate - should be considered in his sentencing.

She relays the importance of keeping the rescue of the Senator top military secret, until the responsible party is at least revealed, if not waiting until they can be lured into a situation where they could be captured.

She relays that she intends to question Epukang further - to reveal his "employer" as soon as possible, and that she intends to allow the crime lord to communicate freely with the party if they need to be contacted (in accordance with any of his previous plans' timeline) or if they try to contact him - under supervision of course. If it becomes necessary, his story is to be that he was forced to scramble former plans.

Epukang's ship can be piloted off station by someone on their team. Ani agrees that any obvious information systems that can be taken off station, should be taken. Perhaps if there is a holo-terminal or data-bank dedicated to the warehouse, Cypher could extract whatever information he can from that? But Ani doesn't want to stay over-long.

After the critical communications are complete Ani virtually collapses into a seat... the Force had failed her at virtually every turn on this mission. It was a tremendous struggle for her accept that this was the will of the Force. She would need long hours of meditation and reflection, her role is not to understand though... only to accept. To find peace with that will.

A difficult prospect for someone who is supposed to be in command of her situation, and responsible for the lives of others.

Before long though, she knew she would have to go to confront Epukang again, and get the rest of the information they needed...

With the Senator and Sugi crime boss well in hand it was a simple matter of Cypher turning the power back on, returning the battered landing bay to some semblance of order - though with the consensus being that they perhaps keep news of their acquisitions to themselves the Clone hacker listed the landing bay as 'Out of Order' with a work order in the system to keep any curious maintenance crew from happening by.

At Lucky's suggestion the squad conducted a search of Epukang's warehouse, finding the supplies they had let go with Lutrillian merchant that solicited a somewhat knowing and satisfied smile from Edite - and perhaps a touch of relief as well.

Knuckles early preparations on a makeshift medical bay allowed for them to process the harried Senator in some form of comfort, the burly trooper's surprising gentle touch and offer of sedative calming the young woman enough that she was soon asleep.

Despite their cautions, and against even Master Kota's suggestion, the Office of the Chancellor could not pass up the publicity of the rescue by 'The Republic's Finest' while also seeing an opportunity to smooth things over a bit with the Thaerian Military by allowing them to share credit. It was agreed that Epukang's involvement and capture would be kept need to know and the wily Jedi Master saw no reason to inform the Thaerians of the development.

Their new orders were to wait for the arrival of Master Kota with the Office of the Supreme Chancellor's representative. The Thearian Military would ensure no one entered the area while the Clones saw to the Senator's safety. Ani was of course free to question Epukang in the meantime - until Republic Intelligence arrived to take possession.

Ani is pretty demoralized by command's decision to release notice of the Senator's rescue. Considering the Thaerian military's covert ties to Epukang, the fact that the Separatist ship came to their space in the first place, and Epukang's cryptic warning about it perhaps not being so much an enemy as they might think, the possibility that one or more individuals within the Thaerian government were in on the Senator's abduction seemed very real to her. Or at least some other inside actor within the Republic, that widespread dissemination of the information would almost assuredly prevent the capture of, as it could drive them deeper "under ground", elevate their caution.

And of course once news of the Senator's rescue got out, the responsible party would easy surmise Epukang was compromised if he wasn't imprisoned, nullifying his utility as a lure either way.

She hands over Epukang without pressing further questioning of him herself. Her ambition had clearly exceeded her position.

Like many of his brothers, Lucky didn't particularly enjoy, or understood, politics. In this instance though, he somehow felt like his squad was left behind enemy line while command was casually telegraphing their position to every possible hostile in the area. They had a decent position and were technically on allied ground, so nothing should happen, but the feeling lingered.

After searching the warehouse and transferring the useful supplies, Lucky glanced at the medbay where the senator was resting. He felt bad for her. She had been left behind for so long and now she would be used instantly again for political or PR gain. I guess some politician are expendable troopers too.

He would probably have to get used to some politics in the future. This was his second time meeting a senator during an active mission. Well, one thing at a time.

Knuckles concentrated his time healing the Senator and ensuring that she was strong enough to face travel and the media storm she would be facing, and preparing for the follow up mission he was sure to come. So was surprised when orders from above was to abandoned and move off world, but shrugged it off as above his pay grade and at least the team survived another mission.

As things developed Knuckles did keep tabs on the Senator through news reports and senate sittings, hoping that her mental scars healed like those he mended.

While the politician played politics, Lucky was staying busy. He spent as much time has he could on Burnout proper. Training at a local gym, visiting markets and shops during the day, frequenting rowdy bars at night. He made a point of interacting normally with people. He pretty much had to be observing what interacting "normally' meant first and then practice it. It was uncomfortable at first, however he was used at uncomfortable training exercises. The wild shadowport was the perfect training grounds to not be surprised by anything anymore.

Lucky became fast friend with a young Sullustan assistant of one of the station multiple gear shops. They spent quite a bit of time drinking and exchanging stories of the trooper "mercenary work' for tips and ideas on how to build the perfect weapon for every theoretical situations. Lucky then approached the ship's armorers to have them develop some of those ideas for his carbine.

Though Knuckles shakes his head at the decisions made by those in command, he shakes it off and doesn’t dwell upon it. Like Lucky he turns his mind to other things and busy himself upon the cruiser. He attends the local gym and martial arts school working on his physical fitness, as well as giving his time to the medical care unit planet side learning new techniques and practices other medical skills. His stiff but friendly bedside manner endearing him upon many of the local whom at first were intimidated by his mass.

As he tracked the comes and goes of the Senator he voiced his concerns to command that she was starting to look tired and stressed with all the attention and she should still be resting still from her wounds both physical and mental.

Wals cannot keep up with the web of priorities that would have them remain on the station. He is anxious to be gone from this place, even after the Republic arrives in force ahead of whoever Epukang might have expected to meet. And even the kernel of value from that possibility was shed, as the arrival of a formal delegation would spook the contacts they might have seen, giving them warning to obliterate whatever evidence remained of an operation potent enough to capture a Senator that might have been captured by Intelligence officers in their wake.

He retreated, largely leaving Ani to manage the unit and the Senator, as he meditated, trying to gently exhale the scent of burning that seemed to waft from across the hangar from his nostrils. His anxiety would be no help here.