abstract
| - The President of VigCorp, along with its CEO, have been asked to join a certain Jedi, the pair invited by the Military of Defense who sent them a message a few days prior to when the meeting was to be held. Twila is the first to disembark from the ship, her expression a bit peaceful, a far cry from how tense she used to be when they were to meet with Skywalker. A seat is taken on a near by crate as they wait, the Twi'lek content to watch the going-ons. "I like it here." she mutters to no one in particular. "It smells like a kennel." A sniff of the air, and Gren 'eye's some of the locals. "But, I do like the hiking." The pilot gives her an innocent smile, and follows her down the ramp, nodding to a group of their personnel that make for the vineways...."Just hope they can find any listening devices that may have been left in the casino, lass. I want to make sure it's legitimate, now." A folding of his arms, and he looks around..."Let's hope that Skywalker is on time." A Sardakh Kale-1 vessel approaches the starport, escorted by a pair of Raddaugh Gnasp fluttercraft, piloted by Wookiee pilots. As the vessel heads in for a landing, a Wookiee Honor Guard comes out to meet the vessel, comprised of tall, intimidating Wookiee warriors dressed in honorary battle garb. The Wookiees create a corridor and howl in unison as they snap to attention, mere moments before the Kale lands on the large branch-made starport. Skywalker descends from the boarding ramp of the Kale a few moments later. He's begun to dress in his own Jedi combat attire whenever he comes to Kashyyyk, as a sign of respect to the Wookiee warrior mentality. He moves to greet the chief warrior at the end of the honor guard corridor, who howls a greeting then turns to point toward the /Eternal Vigilance/. Luke bows his head in respect and turns to walk that way, with R2-D2 trailing behind. "They're not dogs, Gren..hush!" Twila looks at her husband with a soft laugh but the laughter dies as she tilts her head, her lekku twisting about each other as she finds herself wondering. "What do you think is going to happen?" Whatever it is she speaks about is kind of left unspoken as she catches the incoming craft and the ships that escort it as it prepares to land, Twila suddenly nervous. Sure, she knows Luke but all the ceremony going on has her a bit nervous. Upon seeing Skywalker and R2, she stands up and approaches him, a hand extended. "Luke. Pleasure as always." The arrival of Skywalker, and the pomp surrounding it draws Gren's attention, and he's a step behind his wife, as they approach. While she greets him, Delede points at the honor guard, and adds, for Luke's benefit..."Hello, Jedi..." A pause..."We're happy to help with whatever we can...but, we're not howling for you." The Wookiees have a fondness for Jedi, that refused to die during the height of COMPNOR's efficiency at the rise of the Empire. It's quite a sight to behold any time a Jedi, of any rank, arrives on Kashyyyk. The Wookiee chief follows Skywalker as he heads to greet Gren and Twila, and even gruffs out some laughter at Gren's remark. "Do that," smirks Luke, "and I'll start to wonder what exactly they put in that Red Comfort." He greets Twila with a firm handshake, and glances toward the Wookiee chief. "Thank you, Trufforghal," he says, essentially dismissing the Wookiee. Trufforghal howls out a departure, then turns to collect his honor guard and depart, leaving two behind to guard the Kale. Luke turns back to Gren and Twila, his expression growing more somber. "I just need to ask you a question... about Antoine Dareus." Twila looks at Luke, a bit of a surprise to her face, apparently not expecting that. "What is it you're looking for? I mean as far as information on him?" Her eyes shift towards Gren, now, her expression slightly shocked. "I don't believe we have any information Luke doesn't already know, do we, love?" Hands falling behind her back after she straightens the tunic of her quasi-military uniform, her right hand clasped at her left wrist while she waits, trying to figure out just what it is Luke's desiring from them. A nod from Gren, and he leans against a handy wall, tilting his head. "I'm not sure what else I can tell you..but, Twila was his friend. We will answer, if we can." A tight smile at the mention of the Red Comfort still remains on his face, and it's clear that he was pleased with the alcohol, even if he doesn't bring it up. Business must be discussed, now. Luke nods his head gravely. "There's a woman whose been stirring up a little local trouble on Ord Mantell. A dancer named Serenella. Well, apparently, Dareus was her husband, and she was told by Vichten that CSA poisoned Dareus while he was in their custody." His eyebrows pinch. "I don't trust Vichten at all... but I need to know if this is true." Twila looks up and then frowns, the Twi'lek's formerly friendly and warm expression darkening quickly. "I see." She reaches up and pinches the bridge of her nose, suddenly suffering from a headache it seems if the way she does so is any indication. "We had no dealings with Dareus after he left our custody but I am sure we would've heard about any foul play if there were any." Twi's lekku writhe against her shoulders and her shoulders tighten, the woman's tension easily seen and perhaps even felt if some of those who are able to are actively trying to sense emotions and all that. "Serenella...that name sounds familiar. Would you have an image of her?" "We know Serenella, Twila. She was with Thrask, when we got attacked in Lowfair." A smile, as Gren remembers the short, brutal fight. "As for poisoning. If I had known that the Direx Board was going release the bastard, I bloody well would have, Luke." A slight shrug, and he looks at the forest canopy, thinking for a long moment. "I don't buy the story. Not at all. We got crucified for arresting him in the first place, no one else would have risked killing him. Just us....and we never got the chance. If anyone wanted Dareus dead, it would be Vichten." Luke smirks at Delede's response. He doesn't negate the wisdom of poisoning Dareus at all. "Well, believe me, I'd be relatively pleased if the story /were/ true, based on what we discovered about him." R2-D2 blats out a disgruntled message in binary that must be agreement. His smirk goes away, one eye squinting in a curious manner. "Why would Vichten want Dareus dead?" Oh, Luke could imagine any number of reasons why... but as far as he was aware, Vichten had crawled as far up Tyler's arse as Dareus. “I'd wager jealously, Luke. It is fairly easy to guess that a minon would loath to have competition. And with Dareus' rise to the position of Malign's apprentice.." A hand comes up and R2 is given a pat, almost fondly petted as Twila continues to speak. "Plus Dareus had a wife...so many things could factor into it." Leaning back, she finds herself at a loss for anything else to suggest so she just falls quiet, giving the proverbial floor over to Gren. "Aye, Twila. Dareus and Vichten were on equal footing." Gren watches Twila pet the droid, and he adds, in an aside..."Oh, make me jealous, Blue." A snort, and he looks back to Luke. "Dareus wields power that Vichten cannot, now. No matter what their positions are, Antoine is far more important to their master's plans than Axel will ever be. Can ever be." A shrug, and he chuckles. "Not that either one of those two are shining examples of loyalty. Sooner or later, this new Sith threat will tear itself apart, because of that. We just need to do some damage, and give it a good push." A pause..."Not to change the subject, or talk tactics...but did Crix Madine fill you in on my suggested addendum to your plan?" The interdictor must be captured, should they wish to actually destroy the Sith, after all. vR2-D2 beeps and chitters to himself when Twila pets his dome, as if half appreciating it, half murmuring something derisive about starfighter engagements with members of Tyler's armada. Luke nods his head in quiet consideration, only briefly considering how he might counsel Serenella in the hopes of keeping her away from her ties with Dareus before his thoughts turn to Malign himself, and his fleet. His left hand comes up to rub thoughtfully at his chin. "No, he didn't," he interjects between the thoughtful rubbing, but remains silent so as to hear Gren's suggestion. Twila's hands, once again falling behind her back and just listens, now. There's a lot of issues going on, their plate almost overflowing, now, and she has a lot to puzzle through. Best let the men speak and her be quiet for now and keep herself from making a fool out of herself. "I don't want to get bogged down, but, simply put. The plan as I heard it, Luke....it would not succeed. Not wholly." Gren speaks quietly, so that only the trio, and the droid can here, and his eye flickers about, as he thinks on his next words. "Oh, you might win a victory, make them retreat. But, if Ackbar is able to amass a large fleet for the strike, the Sith will flee. They will not stand and fight a hopeless battle. They are evil...not stupid." A gesture at the Jedi, himself. "Any plan must begin with the capture of the Noquella's Embrace. A Jedi-led strike team could feasibly gain control of the vessel, and turn it's gravity well projectors on Tyler's ships...pin them in-system, and pull your own fleet out a signaled micro-jump. Hell, you could pull the fleet out /on top/ of the Sith I2SD, if you controlled the Interdictor." The spark of internal deliberation goes through Luke's eyes as Delede's plan comes through. He glances toward Twila... she was right, her husband was quite the strategist. Looking back toward Delede, he tilts his head to the side, quiet for a few moments. "Well, whatever we choose to do, there's no way around it... it's risky and dangerous. But that never stopped us during the days of the Alliance. I'll present this strategy to Admiral Ackbar immediately..." He tilts his head forward slightly, affixing Delede with a conspiring look. "It could help to ignite that fuedal pressure between Vichten and Dareus." "Indeed, Luke. The slightest push could do true damage to this new Sith threat." A slight smile at that thought, and Gren looks over his shoulder, toward their corvette. It would be far out of it's league in a fight against the Sith's ships, in the majority. "And, whatever does go down. I want to be a part of it. I am almost as good with a blaster, as I am in the cockpit of my fighter." A small laugh..."And, according to my kill statistics since I've come to the New Republic, that's pretty damned good for a mere mortal." Bragging to a Jedi about being good...Delede can be a tool, sometimes. As if Skywalker hasn't heard his fair share of it. Luke laughs warmly, and reaches to put a friendly hand on Delede's shoulder. "Well, perhaps you and I should take some time to get to know each other's flying methods before I depart," he notes, and drops his hand back down to his side. "When this goes down, I can almost guarantee that we'll have Malign to deal with. That makes me wonder whether the Jedi can handle taking down that interdictor without my help, because he'll mow through our fighters with ease." "I'm sure that the Interdictor can be captured without your help, Skywalker. And, yes...you would be better served facing Malign in space." A wince, as the man remembers watching the Sith pilot so deftly against two full squadrons of Centurions, over Bonadan. "I would like another chance with Victhen. I am tired of our battles being cut short" There was a bit of surprise at the Jedi's hand on his shoulder, but a nod is given to Luke. "You should come by the Golden Shroom, before you leave. We recently aquired it from...old comrades. I don't think we could allow you to play the games of chance, but a few drinks, and shop talk never hurt anyone." Luke smirks slightly. "What, you're concerned I'd use my Jedi powers to cheat?" He waggles a hand through the air, as if saying it was a so-so possiblity. "Only when neccessary." He lowers his arm again, and lifts his chin. "I should go send a comm to Admiral Ackbar from the command center nearby. I'll catch up with you at the Golden Shroom before I leave." Twila blinks as she wakes back up from whatever it was she was thinking and then nods, slowly. "The Golden Shroom? Sure. We'll even buy you a drink." She reaches out and pats Luke on the arm and gives his astromech droid a little smile before she turns and watches the starport and the wookiees that work upon the tarmac. "You know, love.." she says quietly to her husband. "We should build a house here. I think I'd like to live here on our down time." "Enough credits on the line, Luke, and I think it becomes neccessary." A small chuckle at that, and Gren leans over to kiss his wife on the left lek. "A house? I'm sure that we could manage that...though, I don't fancy mating season. I'm sure the howling goes on for hours." A final nod to Luke. "That sounds like a plan. I've got some arrangements to make for a few of our folks wounded in recent missions...I thought some company, and the like would make them feel better...so I've got some credits to go spend." A final wave, and he turns, walking toward the vineways. Delede is an odd one, going from talking strategy, to bragging, to confiding that he was on his way to buy 'companionship' for wounded employees, to a Jedi, and even worse, his wife. Luke nods his head curtly, though the humor of the dialogue is not lost on him. He's just consumed now with getting to that command center and speaking with Ackbar. "Okay. I'll catch up." He turns and begins walking toward the liftcar. Twila smiles as she nods although it's impossible to guess why. Looking over her shoulder, she watches the departure of the Jedi much like she did his arrival, that smirk returning to her face. "I never thought I'd like that man.." she murmurs over to Gren. "I am glad I had a change of heart about him." She shrugs and walks up the ramp into their ship as she adds, "And you better not rent any company for yourself, Gren. Got it?"
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