| abstract
| - The Audacity looks particularly nice given that it is to serve as the host for this exchange of personnel with the Caspian Navy, or whatever the official name is. The remnants of past battles have finally been scrubbed clean, even the dark spots that marked where whatever enemy was fought was able to get through the shields. The corvette stands near the area that has been set aside for the Caspians to jump into the system, comm channels ready to transmit at the first sign of the foreigners. Rasi himself stands on the bridge of the Audacity, occupying the central position since...well, for some reason or other, the XO always seems to find himself in charge of these proceedings. On this particular occasion he wears his most formal of uniforms, the kind usually reserved for...well, for occasions just like these. Completing the calculations that jump her ship back into normal space, Captain Cassius (captain of her own ship that is) scans the system immediately upon arrival before guiding her ship towards the position of the Audacity. Having calculated precisely to emerge on the far edge of the system, Lynae has plenty of time to do focused scans of the surrounding area before hailing the Audacity with the words, "Red Sky to Audacity, Lt Commander Cassius of the Caspian Navy hailing Lieutenant Commander Cen of the Audacity, please respond," she says briskly into the open channel. "Red Sky, this is NRCV Audacity, Lt-Commander Cen speaking.", he replies as soon as the communication is picked up and patched through to the bridge. "Welcome to Mon Calamari system, we look forward to working alongside you. Please proceed to the following coordinates, a landing spot has been cleared for you." With a quick nod from Rasi's part, the on-duty comm officer transmits the coordinates to the Red Sky's computer. The launch bay doors on the underside of the Audacity slowly open, and a long trail of flickering lights make clear the path the small Kale freighter is expected to take inside. "Wilco, Red Sky out," Lynae replies and guides her ship into the hangar of the Audacity, hovers briefly over the landing spot allocated then sets down with obvious skill in handling. A few moments more before the ship is powered down and the hatch cycles open, landing ramp extending, and the occupants of the ship disembark. There is something terribly dejavu about setting foot on the deck of the Audacity. Perhaps it's the sensation of having been here so recently. Or perhaps it's the recollection of once having battled her way off of a ship of similar design in a desperate bid for freedom. It's a wealth of memories that Lynae moves through as she disembarks her personal ship with Cadet Bakrak and Lt Grendine at her side. She smoothes her dress uniform with one hand, surveys the assembled personnel that turned out for their arrival and can't help the so subtle shake of her head before she sweeps her gaze over the faces, recognizes Cen and with a crisp salute greets him with, "Commander Cen, permission to come aboard?" Cadet Bakrak is none other than a Dug! Dear god, the Republic is doomed! Not really. Bakrak is pressed and dressed in his finest uniform. The Dug walks along on his hands as his head turns to look at the flight deck of the Republic vessle. For the moment, Bakrak does or says very little. Despite the welcoming party assembled, representatives of all the major departments aboard the ship, the flight deck is still abuzz with activity, fighters been seen to for past damage and prepped for the oncoming trip. Just because there is a diplomatic gathering underway does not mean that Rasi will tolerate any slacking off, especially when they are about to head off in a few days' time towards the border. "Permission granted, welcome aboard Commander Cassius.", a collective salute given by the assembled officers when the Caspians offer their own. "As we have informed your high command, you will have the opportunity of observing the Audacity and its crew perform in a high-risk environment and in near-battle conditions. This, I believe, is better than the standard passive conditions under which these exchanges are usually conducted under." "The purpose of this exchange is to learn from each other under real time situations. Little can be gained in tactical understand in a false environment of pacification or in a theatre that is not under contest," Lynae replies to Cen with another one of those measured nods of agreement. She surveys the assembled officers with Cen, puts name to faces from the last time they did this diplomatic dance. Bakrak glances around at a lot of people he has never known previously. The Dug glances toward Lynae as she explains their presence on the Republic ship. "Lt. Commander. I thought this was supposed to be for moral... not more work?" the Dug questions. Belatedly walking down the ramp after finishing the final shut-down checks for Red Sky under the orders of Lt Commander Cassius, or Captain Cassius in the case of the vessel, a lean Corellian snaps to attention and waits with the rest of the CDU party. The Dug's comment gets a quiet and crooked smirk to cross the tall Human's features, but other than that the man continues standing in a respectable posture. The Captain's pips on the man's shoulders might draw a pause, then again they might not. It all depends on how knowledgeable the NR military types are of CDU officer insignia. But this show is Commander Cassius'. Captain Shadow is just along for the show. "Precisely, please follow me if you all would and I will take you on an initial tour of the ship, afterwards you can all go to your assigned quarters.", Rasi says with a quick nod, a motion of his hand waving forward a crewman with a large lift on wheels. "Your luggage will be waiting for you in your quarters, I hope that they are marked clearly so that we may know what belongs to whom? They will not be together, unfortunately. Commander Cassius will be occupying the VIP rooms in the officers residence area, your fighter pilots, ones Cadet Bakrak and Captain Shadow will be residing with our pilots. It is best to get them straight in with their Audacity counterparts." A trace of a smile forms on Lynae's face and she casts a bit of an amused glance in Cen's direction, "The last time I had quarters on a republic ship of war I was in a holding cell. I do hope that the accommodations, this time, will not be as .. confining," she says with a slight tilt of her head. News that Shadow will get to spend the trip with the fighter pilots is most welcome to the flight leader. Much better than being forced to endure VIP treatment for the entire voyage. The Corellian chuckles softly under his breath at Lynae's remark, before nudging the Dug Cadet next to him. Quietly, the fighter pilot mutters, "Is showing off for NR pilots really going to be /work/?" A dark brown eye winks, then fixes forward again, perfectly professional as before. Rasi chuckles as he leads the way out of the hangar bay, turning back to look at the Caspians but for a few moments. "The larger ships' cells are said to be only slightly smaller than the personal quarters offered on board ships as small as these. However, you can rest assured that they are very well decorated." The banter between the Caspians is ignored, Rasi more focused on making certain that the crew is performing well and up to standards. He leads them out of the hangar bay, "The primary engine rooms will be where we start our tour." While Cen ignores the banter, Lynae is moved to comment, en sotto voice, "A bit of both, actually, Cadet," she explains. "There are few better ways to become better acquainted than to go into combat with someone. Put your life in their hands and have them put their life in yours. It creates a bond that is hard to shake or discard, no matter how many years or how far apart life eventually takes you. While this is not a combat deployment, the Republic is at war and this is merely one of their current theatres." She takes the necessary steps to reach Commander Cen's side, "Indeed," she says in a musing tone of voice. "Well, be that as it may, I appreciate the offer extended to avail myself of the amenities accorded in the VIP accommodations," she adds with a tilt of her head in a nod. "To the engine rooms it is," she adds with another bit of a nod. The Dug glances back at Shadow and smiles. "Yes, I am sure it won't be... maybe they have their own spar champion? Only Marines give me test..." Bakrak looks over at Lynae at her commands and seems a bit confused. "We are trying to create a bond with the Republic? Why would we do that?" Following respectfully along behind the two Lt. Commanders, Shadow quietly scans the surroundings, taking careful note of the lay-out of the vessel. In the event of an emergency, it's good to know how to get places in a hurry. And in the dark, if necessary. While a Marauder isn't exceedingly large, any strange vessel can become a death-trap if one doesn't know the peculiarities of design. Once again the Cadet makes a comment, and this time the Corellian Captain's nudge is a little more forceful, the downward slanted eyebrows carrying a warning. "Look around, Cadet. You're going to be flying with NR folk for a few days. Might keep that in mind when you're wondering why you might want to bond." All this is said very quietly, so as not to attract the attention of the NR XO leading the tour. As Sadim follows behind Lynae, has he always does, he remarks in relation to her comment, "I always found getting people drunk in cantinas was an excellent way to get to know them. Much more colourful stories come out of those affairs." He pauses for a moment as they walk, "Though the trick is to maintain a level of sobreity for oneself so that those stories can be shared later. "Why would you not, Cadet?", the lead Republican replies though the question was not addressed to him, still, he will sneak in comments whenever he sees the opportunity. It does not take long to reach the engine room, a lift taking them much of the way there by climbing to the relative centre of the ship and slightly behind where the hangar bay is situated. "As you can see, the Audacity was recently upgraded extensively from her pre-Ord Mantell days and she is as good as any other similar ship class. In particular you can find the extra power generator, permitting us to support more weaponry in this manner. It can, you might say, hit well above its weight in particular with the addition of the missile launchers. With similar updates and good upkeep, the lifespan of a Marauder can be extended by several decades and it might even reach the 100-years mark." "Intriguing," Lynae replies, tilting her head slightly and casting an inquiry at Cen, "with all the upgrades were you able to do anything to augment the maneuverability or the turning ratio?" she asks. "That's the one thing that gets you caught mostly in combat. When your shields are disabled and your maneuverability is compromised you're going to have to fall back on your agility, your maneuvering thrusters and what power you can pour back into rebuilding your shield defenses long enough to fall back to a more defensible position." "I have issues with the Republic's treatment of Dugs in the past," Bakrak responds more to himself than the Republican. The Dug turns to look over at Shadow and nods. "Yes, I suppose it true. I do best to... behave." The Dug goes back to being quiet. Shadow's whistle at seeing the engine room is matched by a chuckle at the stream of questions Lt. Commander Cassius fires at the NR XO. "It is an impressive upgrade though. My only concern would be structural weakening over the course of a 100 year lifespan. But I'm sure your engineers already considered that." The Corellian has some experience in designing ships, and notes that the improved power and engines would do much to propel a ship of this size quickly through space. The real concern in the Captain's mind would be armor. There's only so much room on a Marauder. Something's gotta give. "Indeed.", Rasi says, a few steps taken towards a nearby workstation, the crewman manning it given a quick nod and informed to continue with his work. "The Audacity's primary utility in battles lies in its ability to maneuver around larger ships, into good spots and out of tight ones. We would not have updated this vessel without seeing that it was comparable in all the important aspects to the most modern vessels in either the arsenals of either the Republic or Empire. Maneuverability and overall speed levels received a substantial boost before the Audacity was put back into active duty." The Captain is answered at last, "Well, naturally and there will come a time when continuously upgrading and maintaining a Marauder-class is no longer as cost-efficient as a new vessel based on a new design. But at this point in time the costs are well worth it for a vessel as effective as this one." Finally, there is the Dug, the being observed for a quick moment before Rasi simply shrugs, "Would you care to elaborate, Cadet?", he has no idea what the man speaks of and there is little point in disagreeing when he might be wrong in doing so. Bakrak seems to finally come to his senses about talking out of place. The Dug glances up at Lynae as if asking permission if he should answer the question with his opinion. However, the youth of the Dug gets the better of him. Bakrak looks over at Rasi. "The Republic gave Malastare to the Gand invaders. Dugs have no authority on our own homeworld." In response to the questioning glance that Bakrak sends in her direction, Lynae has given a subtle nod in reply, studying both the Dug and the Human as the conversation shifts from tactical and analytical upgrades to something more personal. Something that is both near and dear to her comrade and friend. It takes him some time to understand just what the Dug is talking about, Rasi has to resort to every ounce of knowledge he's picked up over the years, much of it back in his days at the Academy. "Cadet, you do realize that happened thousands of years ago under the Old Republic, do you not?" He's heard of keeping grudges, but really, when your ancestors' ancestors' ancestors'(ad nauseam) weren't even born yet? "Would you agree so, Commander?", his attention momentarily settling on Lynae. Bakrak turns his head. "What is the different between what is called Old and what is called new? It is still 'the Republic'?" The Dug questions the individual's response. "The New is modeled after the Old, is it not?" "A civilization that ignores it's own history has no past, and no future, Commander," Lynae replies with another so subtle shake of her head in disagreement. "The Republic, be it old or new, is still the Republic. Point of fact, there is nothing 'new' about the Republic. It has fallen before, staggered up from the remains and gone through many phases, risen again and fallen. But it is the Republic. History speaks for it's actions, for it's decision making, for it's believes. For it's mistakes and triumphs, for it's good deeds and ill. I believe that the Cadet is pointing out that the Republic gave his ancestral homeworld to the Gand invaders. The republic, you call it 'old' because it is history - not today, by definition - made that decision. What keeps the Republic - in it's current guise - from doing the same thing to another race of free sentients?" "In spirit, in intent, in morals and ethics, yes. But in practice, we are little like the Old Republic. For one thing, the corruption and general neglect is not present. However, I do have a question, to the both of you. Believe it or not, the emphasis is on the 'New' part in our name." Hey, if they're willing to pile up on him, he sees no reason to passively accept the questions without responding in kind. "We can all fairly say that we are guilty of something or other or will be throughout our lifespans, some of us more guilty than others." Odd that he would use this turn of phrase, but Rasi is not the type to dilly-dally around the obvious. "Should your children be held accountable for you did, or their children? How about someone that is in some way connected to you five thousand years from now?" "The galaxy is not a fair judge. Many have had to live with the actions of their predecessors, ill or not." Bakrak responds. "It happens plenty with Dugs. We have all same reputation, no matter who we are... and we learn to accept it." Lynae gives Rasi a look that conveys approval of his questions, "Well spoken," she begins aloud in reply. "The Emphasis on the New, however, is a bit of semantics, though, Commander. It's a way of saying, 'this is what we were, this is who and what we are now'. Though I'll concede this point by agreeing to the fact that the mistakes of the father should not be visited upon the son," she says quietly. "But Bakrak is correct as well. The universe is not fair. It is not nice. It is not pretty. It is not a grand dream where everyone lives happily ever after. It is dirty and gritty and bloody and people die in horrible ways or alone with no one to even know where or when or how that they died. Personal affection, personal ties, are a luxury that many of us cannot afford." He does not immediately reply, instead turning back to the task at hand and leading the small group through the engine room, the on-duty techchief looking on disapprovingly as the integrity of his work environment is compromised. From there, it is a short walk to the fire control center, his preferred area on the Audacity. "Much of the crew here came directly from the Second Fleet's flagship, the Reprisal, as such we are able to claim a high degree of efficiency compared to other corvettes in the Republic. Particularly given that this crew has a long experience of working with each other." The gun-chief greeting with a smile the Caspians and offering the lot of them a handshake. It is only after he is gone that Rasi replies the earlier comments. "The universe is how one chooses to see it. To say that it is unfair and bloody is to ignore all the good that is happening throughout it and, if I might say, a myopic view of all that surrounds. And it is what we make of it, at the core of it, the New Republic is working towards making it a better place for all of us, that's as well as I can describe us. And if you wish to truly judge us for our actions, Cadet, you know that the Gran Protectorate was disbanded and that Dugs are seen as equal to the Gran and treated as such." "Thousands of years of inequality to be fixed by the declaration of equality? Is it truly equal standing or spoken in such a way that Dugs are being duped into thinking of their equality?" Bakrak questions a little bit more at the Republicans announcement. "And is Malastare still under the control of the Republic?" "By accepting that the universe is grim and ugly and unfair it allows the mind to be prepared for the awful things that are done. It also, for that matter, allows the mind to be surprised pleasantly from time to time while still enabling it to cope with the bitter realities of what life can be like at it's most dark, most dire, most grim," Lynae voices her opinion in reply. "I would disagree there. Accepting that the Universe is grim and ugly and unfair is accepting that it has a natural tendency towards that and lowering our expectations of it and of those around us. We, or at least I believe more in the raised expectations rather than in the lowering of them." And then, there's the Dug to answer, Rasi's shoulders raised for a quick moment in a shrug, "Dugs are as equal, respected and free as Bothans, Mon Calamari or Humans in the New Republic. Whether or not an individual accepts the underlying principle of respect for all beings in the Republic is their decision, however that the principle is there and is inviolable is a matter that should not be doubted." Bakrak nods his head slowly. "A principle is all well in good, if those that it governs believe it. However, principle and practice can be too different things. The previous Republic is good example." The Dug shrugs before starting to poke around. Lynae is quiet for a long moment, listening to the sounds in the engine room, observing the engineering personnel hard at their current tasks, her gaze shifting from one person to the other before she turns back towards Rasi and bakrak. "This is not the profession that one goes into if one wants to live to be old and aged and wizened before dying. We are soldiers, fighters, each in our own way, each in our own right. The odds are that many of us will die in some battle that may never be recorded in a history book. Or out on some misbegotten ball of dust out on the back of the beyond on the bum of the arse end of the universe. That we will die in some stupid pointless encounter, and that it will be abrupt and messy and that when we die we may have to be left there because there may be no way to safely bring our body back to the ones who'd care to see us put to rest in a manner befitting our lives. This is not the profession for family and loved ones who wait for each letter, who hang on each visit. This is war, gentlemen. While the Caspian people are not actively on war footing with the Empire, we are still at war. And the Republic, New or Old, remains in a constant state of war with the Empire, and this is not likely to change." "Cadet, you can either take my word for it, if you do not wish to, there are two more options I believe are available to you. You can either resign your position in the Caspian military and come live and work in the New Republic, find out for yourself. Or, you can do neither of those two things." Rasi turns to Lynae then, a few moments taken to describe this aspect or that of the ship's weaponries, generalities of course, before he addresses the Commander. "No encounter is pointless, stupid perhaps, but pointless is calling the sacrifice of those who sacrificed useless. Every battle, every skirmish, every engagement tips the balance one way or another. Enough Bimmiels, enough Saskruts, enough Kessels and the war will be decided. Commander, I believe I disagree with your view of things on one very important matter. War, at the end of the day, is fought not for the sake of fighting but for one important purpose, whatever it may be. Some choose to focus on the fighting, others on the why we are fighting and what we hope to gain, I am of the latter group." Bakrak smiles at the Executive Officer of the ship currently 'enjoying' his presence. "I think I shall stay with the CDU. It has cared for my family and given us new hope." The Dug starts to look over the large capital weapons. "I accept your disagreement, Cen," Lynae says with a bit of a smile, "and will agree to disagree on that, and on many other, salient and logical points. We come from different sides of this war, and while we may find a good measure of common ground to work together on. There are things in my experience that no amount of happy thoughts and good intentions will ever negate or erase. And," she tilts her head towards Bakrak, "I am glad to have you among us." "Yes, now, we should move towards concluding our tour by heading over towards the Crew Area. I believe it will be one of the areas you will be familiarized with at the end of your stay with us, much of the social activity on the Audacity takes place there and you will be doing much of that I believe." And with that, it is out of the fire control centre, in many ways the nucleus of the vessel, at least to the gunner in Rasi. "If you have any questions, I would entertain them now." Bakrak shakes his head. "I am out of questions." The Dug smiles. "Lead on," Lynae replies, waiting for Rasi to lead the way again, managing to refrain from making a comment about 'cruel and unusual punishment' in the way of socialization in the form of social activity with the crew of the Audacity.
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