Ask Claiming the Unclaimable

[Kalique Baize]

Enroute to Centares - 0647 hours

​

Centares was a former Imperial world that had left the Empire in times of war. Having been worried about the split and the general period of transition the Empire had then found itself in, the unrests had finally made the planet leave.

It was not that Centares had been known for deep rooted Sith ties or whatsoever, but rumors had it that Sith had formerly brought in the planet in the first place. Mistrust was still palpable, but now that the Empire was finally stabilizing itself and regaining strength slowly, Centares was one of the planets that has actually reached out to the Empire for help.

Having to deal with a group of insurgents, the planet was plagued by unrest. The Government was beginning to feel helpless as local authorities seemed to lose control over the situation and having remembered that the Empire had actually served them well, they had reconsidered their choice. If the Empire could help bringing back law and order, they'd consider rejoining, which was actually great news.

The Empire needed to resecure territory and valuable planets that would supply them with resources or goods and if a planet was deliberately reaching out, it was obvious that the Empire answered those in need of help. Centares was a major exporter of industrial goods and thus a promising ally ans obviously, this was also another chance to prove the goodwill of the Imperial Knights.

Kalique found herself en route towards the mid-rim planet in the company of Knight-Captain Atrix - she had worked with the man before but while they had tried to find a way into an ancient Sith fortress back then, this mission's nature was a different one. They had been asked to deal with the rather anarchists insurgents in a humane way, however the government left the actual details to them.

Kalique was not yet in her armor, but in her uniform and watching the swirling colors of hyperspace zooming past. They still had a little time before they'd arrive and Kalique had been up rather early, already having meditated and feeling prepared for today.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn had been a lot of things already in life. He had been a Jedi, then a spy, then a Sith, gone through OCS, and now he was an Imperial Knight. While he could honestly say he felt more at home now than he had in at least many years.

Varyn was already in his armor, finding it far more comfortable and familiar than a uniform. It was his uniform, and had become a second skin to him in many ways. Although his initial iteration of the red plates hadn't been his first choice, this second design that he had requisitioned was lighter and more flexible, suiting his needs and combat style quite a bit better.

While it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that they would need to operate in plain clothes for part of this operation, for the initial meeting he had no doubt that being in appropriate garb was the wisest decision. With his sabers hanging from his belt he made his way over as the ship dropped out of hyperspace.

City-planets, he said, watching the marbled jungle of steel and glass below them. It reminded him of home in a way. His life on Coruscant wasn't exactly a highlight of his relatively unpleasant life, though, so he pushed the thought out of his mind, focusing on what it would mean for their job.

Most likely we'll have to get into the poorest areas and root out whoever's behind this, he said. While he wasn't planning to just execute everyone, he had no illusions about the fact that people were almost certainly going to die. He could live with that.

Where'd you live? he asked. Although megatropolis dwellers did make up a large group, they were a tiny fraction compared to those who had grown up in the Outer Rim, on farms, and generally in the middle of nowhere.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique enjoyed the last minutes of full flexibility and agility before she started switching and strapping on the parts of the red plated armor as they most likely needed it right away. From what the ISB had gathered, there wouldn't be much talking, but rather action right away as the insurgents had apperently proven themselves to be fully rigid in their believes.

After the lunatic craziness on Varc, she was even looking forward to how this mission had a clear focus after all. They had to defuse the situation by taking down those rebels, but as reports and exact numbers were unclear, they still had to be prepared for whatever. "I bet you're right...I've repeatedly ended up in the sewers on such missions...they sometimes make great hideouts" she remarked with a little scoff as she finished fastening the armor around her shins.

"Have you been on Centares before?" she curiosly wondered as she continued prepping herself, finishing with clipping her lightsaber back to her belt before taking a seat, emerald gaze directed at Varyn as her helmet was placed on her lap for now. "I'm from Serenno. I've seen all of tbe capital but always enjoyed the countryside more..." she replied, before she returned the question in geuine interest. "What about you?". Obviously, Serenno hadn't been all as she had joined the Academy on Ord Radama early, but he probably knew all about that.

With the ship approaching the surface, Kalique quickly pulled her data pad out and checked for any new, but as she found nothing, she safely stored it away, gaze directed back at Varyn.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn thought back about his many planets he had been to but he didn't think that Centares had ever numbered among them.

Don't think so, he said with a shake of his head. He would guess that it wasn't that much different than anywhere else.

Serenno. He wondered if it was hard for her to have lost her homeworld to the Empire. Though, his homeworld had never been part of the Empire, so it probably didn't matter that much. Though, she may have had a family still. He didn't know, but he supposed it was just a part of life.

I was born in the Core of Coruscant, he said. Haven't spent much time there for a long time, though, he said. Though he had visited a few times, since his father died a few years ago, he'd had no reason to go back any longer.

The ship set down with a gentle thud on the landing pad and Varyn forewent a helmet out of preference. Although the helmet was important, he'd always found his wrists as the most vulnerable part of his body in a duel, and the torso more precarious for blasters and the like. He didn't spend much time on true, open battlefields these days where he had to worry about shrapnel to the head.

He descended the ramp and headed out into the open air where the sun was beginning to set. A light breeze blew over the landscape, and now he could see that the platform they'd landed on was attached to the upper levels of a skyscraper. So that's where the breeze came from, he thought to himself.

A group of dignitaries came out to meet them, and Varyn put on a smile, hoping to himself they could get through this as quickly as possible. While he could put on an act and be pleasant, he didn't care for the social side of... pretty much any business.

Ah, Imperial Knights, a woman said. Her exotic garb was a bit flashy and not really in keeping with the rest of the greeting party. He wondered if she was just that kind of person constantly seeking attention.

Greetings. I'm Knight-Captain Varyn Atrix, he said, smiling again and nodding slightly in a polite manner and letting Kalique introduce herself as well.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

As Varyn hadn't set foot on the planet himself either, they both didn't bring some actual first hand experience, but Kalique doubted it mattered a lot. They had their task and even though these insurgents could be anywhere, she was confident they would be able to track them.

"Coruscant?" she repated, realizing that he was probably used to such urban planets then, but she didn't really envy him as she had never like such city planets. He also mentioned how he didn't spent a lot of time there nowadays and while it didn't surprise her at all, she wondered whether he wished it was different.

"I haven't been in the deep core often...When was the last time you've visited?". A lot had changed ever since as the NR that had once ruled it was no more. With the Chancellor down and the Core Worlds merely independent now, there was surely a lot going on, also, because the Killiks were still not fully gone.

After the ship had landed, Kalique carried her helmet in one hand and followed Varyn down the ramp, noticing that he didn't even grab his. While she didn't like them either, she had learnt that even as a force user, the head needed protection and if they were about to deal with the insurgents, she did believe they were already awaiting them and she didn't want to risk any injuries.

They were immediately with representatives of some sort and Kalique came to a halt next to him. "Knight Kalique Demici" she politely inclined her head, the smile on her lips perfectly warm and charming, but obviously just a matter of pleasantries. "Thank you for coming", the woman remarked, yet there was something in her tone Kalique picked up that sounded fake to her.

The other dignitaries looked worried and perhaps even grateful they had arrived, but the woman who did the talking for now didn't seem too convinced just yet. She went on: "Our capital is in a state of constant unrest...We can't predict where they'll strike next, but the attacks needs to stop". Her gaze quickly flicked towards Kalique before she eyes Varyn. "We need capable help, before the situation fully escalates. Those insurgents need to be dealt and they will answer for their crimes...can you ensure that?".

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Not for a couple of years, he said. It wasn't like the Empire was a particularly "welcome" sight in the Core Worlds even now. And he had no real reason to go back either.

Don't have any family left there, so not a lot of reason to go back, he added. Although a depressing statement, it wasn't one that Varyn dwelled on or one that he seemed to be grieving over anymore. It was just part of life.

Varyn listened to the woman's statement, and couldn't shake the feeling that something there was a little odd. Besides just her outfit, that was. A tingle on the back of his neck that he couldn't ignore but also one that he couldn't pinpoint.

It reminds me of being undercover, he thought to himself. A nagging in the back of his mind that told him he needed to be on alert at all times. Whether it was real or not was another question.

That is our goal, he said with a nod. It was a realistic answer. He wasn't going to make any promises, but he had confidence in them nonetheless.

I'm sure once we coordinate with your local security forces we'll be able to get to the bottom of things, he said. Unfortunately, though that could take a very long time.

Ah yes, I'll see to it that you are connected with our Chief of Security, she said, motioning to one of the aides.

Please get our guests a ride to the security station, she said.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique wasn't very surprised that he didn't get much chances to visit, but the part about how he didn't have any family left made her a little sad. "I'm sorry to hear". She didn't have the closest ties either, because her family was simply a different breed of people, but she did still care about them.

On top of the sky-scrapper, it felt like it was growing much breezier as some dark clouds even rose in the distance. A storm? Just rain? It did seem like the weather was about to change, but it wouldn't matter much.

While Kalique left the talking to him, she kept studying the others. There was a weird power hierarchy palpable between the dignitaries, but how was this woman in such a position of power when actually lacking the empathy like that? The woman didn't seem fully satisfied, but Kalique simply couldn't stop wondering what was going on with her.

She was reminded of how they had to stay on their guard as they couldn't even be sure about whether the whole government was really against those insurgents. Some people simply relished in chaos and perhaps there were even supporters of the revolts, so they couldn't be careful enough.

In the end, she simply did send them off without the others saying an actual word and they were indeed guided towards the lift a moment later. The aide who accompanied them avoided eye contact at all costs and didn't say a single words which she also found a little strange, but in the end they did reach the ground floor where a speeder taxi was already waiting for them.

The aide simply gestured for them to enter and they'd be met by a droid pilot, no one else, who already has the coordinates of the security station typed in. 'I don't like this...this woman seemed too much in control' she telepathically remarked, taking a seat and appearing to casually lean back while her mind was actually on full alert.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn followed the aide down and kept his eye out for anything out of place as he did. For the most part - besides the odd woman - everything seemed relatively mundane. Workers going about their business, the Force was calm and serene, and everything was very normal. Of course, what did he expect? Even people on terrorized worlds didn't live every moment in constant fear.

As they made it down to the taxi, it took off and he heard Kalique's voice in his mind. He'd never loved telepathy, but it had its uses. He nodded his agreement, but said nothing vocally or mentally for the moment. He agreed that something didn't sit right, though, and after only a few minutes they'd arrived at their next destination: the security office.

Right this way, please, a droid said as it led them inside and to a small room filled with two data terminals, datacards, and boxes filled with flimsi files.

These are all for your review and use, the droid said before turning to leave. Just like that.

Varyn scoffed slightly as the droid left them alone. He wasn't eager to speak freely even here, but that didn't stop some minor muttering and complaining as he settled into one of the seats.

I guess they plan to bury us in paperwork, he said, knowing that it would take days to weeks to sort through all of this. He preferred more hands-on work anyway, and was confident ISB analysts could sift through this much more efficiently than he could.

I guess we can start out here for a few hours and see if anything pops. Try to sort things by what we think is most important and chase down any leads from there, he said. Or just wait for the next attack, he added with a grunt.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

The drive wasn't long and as the droid left them in the security office, Kalique couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't really alone. She didn't trust this planet and she didn't trust this people, yet she wanted to help. She wanted to find those insurgents and take them down, hopefully this would even work without unnecessary casualties, but for now they were left with nothing but files, footage and data.

Had this been the idea of the woman? Was this potentially even a way to slow them down? Kalique remained suspicious and not exactly pleased with her way of working. Varyn had a point. This would take hours to sort and it wasn't even given that they'd find anything useful. She let out a sigh. "Yes...we have to start somewhere so this sounds like a good plan...but I'm just a delighted as you are", she sympathetically added with a sarcastic smirk before she began to work.

They weren't trained for filtering data that quickly and frankly speaking, there was unsorted chaos all around. Hadn't their authorities thoroughly examined the data? She wasn't going to complain, yet wasn't very pleased with the task. They started rummaging through data for at least two hours with Kalique not even finding anything super useful when the comms suddenly cracked.

"We've got eyes on the rebels! Coordinates are sent, they just blew up a pumping station!", the police officer's voice was hectic and desperate and Kalique immediately raised a brow. "Okay that's a better lead". The coordinates weren't far off and the reports fresh, so finally, it seemed like they were about to make some actual progress.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn settled into the chair as they were left alone, and he started going through data. Reading reports, viewing camera footage, which was the thing he felt was the most useful. He watched the way the insurgents worked and how they did a surprisingly good job of either keeping their faces covered or else avoiding the cameras altogether.

They carried off their dead in the attacks so we couldn't ID them, he said, actually finding himself relatively impressed by what they had managed to do. They seemed... fairly organized. Wonder if they're ex-military, he said. Or at least some of them. That was what he had to suspect, but he couldn't know for sure yet.

Just moments later, someone burst into the room to declare there was another attack. And that rubbed Varyn the wrong way. There just happened to be an attack two hours after they landed? No, that was far too coincidental.

I sense a trap, he whispered as he passed the other Knight. His gut was churning, but he was going to head out to face it anyway. They piled into one of the security vehicles as it sped off to the refueling station, and leapt out of the vehicle as it slowed.

A swirl of flame and smoke rose up into the air ahead, but there was no sign of the insurgents. And very few dead.

Get everyone back! Back! he shouted as it clicked in his mind what was going on. It was too late, though. Another explosion went off, tearing through the air and this time larger than before. It swallowed up several security and EMS vehicles as it flung Varyn back and into the speeder as well. He was stunned, his head spinning. It was a classic trick: make a small attack and then when more emergency services showed up, detonate another device and kill all those who arrived. Varyn was fortunate - or else the Force was looking out for him - that he wasn't killed outright.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Varyn's findings were definitely helpful. His analysis of the situation also made sense, although couldn't fully shake the feeling that there might have still been a different reason. "Clever...and organized. Could be ex-military or someone influential and organized is pulling the strings and calling the shots". After all, this could also be a planned coup from the inside, they could never be sure it wasn't self-inflicted.

The security guard that informed them seemed unsettled, yet Varyn wasn't wrong. "They might be offering bait" she agreed with him, yet it was a fact that they had struck and they had to aid the civilians, also, it was still a prospect of finding a really fresh trace.

Kalique hopped into the speeder and centered herself. They had to prepared for whatever, yet little did she know they were immediately hit after springing out of the vehicle. Kalique was hurled to the side and skidded over the duracrete, her eyes immediately narrowed and pushing herself back to her feet. There was a high pitched ringing in her ears and her head spun before an incoming hail of blaster bolts was fired right at them.

Panic erupted amongst the civilians and those who had intended to help the injured as a scent of charred flesh and death lingered in the air. For the first time she did catch a glimpse of one assailant on a nearby roof and as she reached out with the Force, she immediately dulled his senses, making him drop to the ground morionlessly while she darted towards cover to her left.

"Kriff" she cursed under her breath, before she turned her head and tried to make out Varyn. " Are you hurt?! Some are up on the roof. Do we pressed onwards? she loudly called back to him, hoping he was doing fine. They found themselves in a pretty shit position and it frustrated her that they had walked right into this.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn was groaning on the ground and trying to push himself up when the blasterfire opened up again. Fortunately, his proximity to the explosion meant he was largely covered by the rising smoke and obscured to enemy fire long enough for him to half crawl, half roll to the side and under one of the speeders to shield him from the blasterfire coming from the tops of the buildings.

The trap was sprung, all right.

He was still shaking his head and trying to clear the dizziness, barely able to hear Kalique yelling at him over the ringing in his ears. It appeared he had been far closer to the detonation than she had, and was still recovering.

Regroup, he groaned out, probably not even able to be heard over the sound of the blasterfire. A fit of coughing and he crawled out to the side of the speeder and flung open one of the doors.

Get us out of here! he finally managed to shout as he climbed into the passenger seat. He didn't like retreating, but he wasn't going to stay in the killzone.

Just get us a block or two out of the killzone and stop, he said, his head starting to clear. Once they regrouped they could head back in, but staying where they were was certain to get them killed.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

The smell of fire, blood and gas filled the air as smoke kept rising all around. She was feeling dizzy and still partly deafened by the high-pitched ringing as she tried to spot Varyn amidst the chaos. As she spotted the Captain running towards the speeder, she, too, started her sprint, carefully avoiding incoming blaster bolts that were aimed at her because the red armor simply stuck out.

He wanted to regroup and she had absolutely no objections there as the chaos was too thick and the situation not defusable right now. She felt bad for the civilians, yet there was no way they could step in and get them all out alive. Also, maybe this was her being a little paranoid after the lady up on the roof had acted so strangely, but maybe it was indeed a fact that those insurgents had just waited for them specifically...or why else did they keep trying to fire at her?

She reached the speeder and quickly rounded it, hoping behind the steering wheel as the droid driver had somehow vanished and immediately punched the gas. Zigzaging a little to avoid both, the incoming fire and civilians in their way, Kalique did somehow manage to maneuver them out of this kill zone. She pulled the speeder to a halt around the corner of the second block and rubbed her temples, intending to soften that annoying dizziness from the impact.

"This seems so much like a set up..." she grumbled as they had fallen for it. They definitely knew they were there and surprise ambushes were off the table for now. "Maybe we can make our way up a building and at least start sneaking on them on eye level?". The high ground perks would be gone for them then.

However, the comms then flickered and she pressed the button to activate them. "-running. I repeat...they are retreating". She quirked a brow as she threw Varyn a glance. Had they wrecked enough havoc? From the sounds of all the chaos, no one was in hot pursuit, yet this again sounded like a set up.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn finally caught his breath, giving a quick run over of his body with his hands to ensure nothing was broken, bleeding, or missing. He was alive, and that was half the battle right there. Of course, they were still going to be going back, so the other half of the battle was yet to come.

He reached down and grabbed one of the sabers off of his belt before climbing out of the car, making sure his feet were steady under him. Getting blown up sucked.

I don't buy it. I like your building idea. At worst maybe we can cut them off if they really are retreating, he said.

Breath still came slowly into his lungs, but he wasn't going to stop. Still, he didn't want to risk them getting away because of his slowed speed, either.

Don't let me slow you down, he said, half-hobbling along as he made his way in the direction of the buildings. He was going to need a nice, long bacta soak after this. Or at least that would have been nice.

He could still hear some sporadic blaster shots going off, but less than it had been moments ago. Yeah, that was a trap for us, he thought to himself, picking up the pace the more loosened up his knotted muscles became.

You go to the top, I'll try to catch them if they come out the bottom, he said. He had confidence in either of their abilities to defend themselves, and splitting up would cover their escapes as well.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Catching their breaths and centering themselves for a moment, Kalique turned around, narrowed her eyes and scanned the near surroundings. It was relatively quiet even though there were still blasters and shouting in the background. Were they really retreating? She doubted it. And if they were, they planned on them to follow.

Varyn was off worse and as she turned back to him, she frowned. "Are you alright?" she cautiously asked, clearing her throat and rolling her shoulders. "Sounds good. There might be more at their hideout, so dealing with them now will aid us". She was a little worried he needed a break they couldn't afford right now, so she studied him for another moment before they began moving.

She pushed through her own pain, yet thanks to the adrenaline she still felt okay. The blaster fire slowly decreased, yet he had a point. She wasn't sure about this idea, but the buildings were perhaps their best bet.

She wasn't very fond of the splitting up idea, but wasn't really in the position to object and also, there was no time to argue. The buildings weren't too far off from another and often connected by huge pipes and vents which she could use to continue along the roofs. "Take care, Varyn". He wasn't looking too good right now, and she wasn't going to let him die here.

With one last glance, she went for the first buildings, simply dashing through the opened front door and making her way up as quickly as possible. As stairs were her fastest bet, she hurried up, the strain visible as she reached the roof top with heavy breaths. They only had one direction to go to, yet she ensured she was also staying in a position that could cover Varyn from above in case anyone tried to fire down on him.

She activated one lightsaber as she ran, not wanting to be surprised by fire either. Jumping onto a vent and balancing over it to reach the next building, she came to a ladder that she had to climb in order to reach the next level that then finally allowed her to spot one of the assailants. "Eyes on the first target. Should I engage? They haven't noticed me yet" she used the comms to reach Varyn as she cowered behind the brink of her roof to stay in cover, waiting for him to get into position.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn wasn't in great shape, but he was still on his feet, moving, and able to fight. She was moving faster than him, and that was good. It was why he had advocated for her to move ahead of him.

He moved to the base of the building as she headed up, getting a call that she was ready to engage.

Move on them. Take at least one alive if you can, he said, though that was a big question mark. But don't risk yourself, he said.

Even now, he could see some of the insurgents beginning to scramble down and toward the speeders. His saber burst to life as he moved toward one of them, catching a blaster shot and sending it into the far wall as he reached out with the Force to grab the man, dragging him back to his hand.

His fingers snagged onto the man's face and he held him in place as his saber came down to cleave through his chest, cutting him in two in a violent but efficient display.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Ready to pounce and like a predator cat lurking in the shadows, she waited for Varyn's clearance which then came. Take one alive. A solid plan, yet she'd have to see whether this was manageable. Attempting to sneak up on them, she set herself into motion, muscles all tense and under full control.

Varyn's timing was perfect when it came to how her target was immediately distracting and trying to aim at Varyn with the sniper rifle. It was then that the insurgent found his senses dulled as she reached out with the Force and knocked him straight out. He had no idea what hit him, yet as her focus had been split between him and Varyn down below, what she didn't notice was how another one was in their line of sight on the next building and the Devaronian woman did notice what Kalique had done.

Without hesitation and before the Knight could act, she fired at the unconscious body and fried his brain with one clean shot that immediately sent a hint of anger across Kalique's face. Then it was her. Growling, she broke into a sprint and went to move over to her position, yet Kalique was forced to deflect the bolts she fired with her lightsaber.

Throwing her off her feet by violently yanking her forwards, she made the jump across the little distance between the two buildings and thus closed in, yet then she was also picking up more movement from inside the building. The Devaronian fired again and she was forced to deflect it with her lightsaber and redirect it into the air to her left, yet as she reached out with the Force again to knock her out, she could sense another disturbance within the Force as someone suddenly launched a heavy explosion in the building under them, somewhere in the proximity of Varyn.

She assumed he was out of the area of effect as the explosion seemed to have been triggered inside the building, yet it meant that the ground beneath her feet was heavily rocked and that she even had to use the Force to balance herself. The Devaronian was temporarily distracted too, which was the opening Kalique used reach into her and incapacitate her before she could regain her composure. "You okay?" she called down through the comms, dragging the Devaronian towards the staircase for now so she wouldn't get killed either before Kalique intended to make her way down to deal with whoever was still in the building.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn felt the ground under him shake and part of the building tear in pieces by an explosion, but fortunately, he was far enough away from it that it posed no real threat to him.

He swept his saber around so that he caught a blaster shot with it and followed through the parry into a clean strike through the attacking insurgent. It seemed they had had enough.

For real, this time, the insurgents began to retreat away from the area, and Varyn heard Kalique call out in the comlink to him.

Yeah, I'm fine, he said. He had no doubt there'd be a nasty bruise in the morning (or later today) but he was alive, and that was more than he could say for some of the people in the attack.

Let them run... we'll try to ID the bodies and interrogate the survivor back at security HQ, he said. Truthfully, he had his doubts about the survival of that prisoner if there was a mole, but they still might be able to use him as bait.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

For a moment, Kalique considered that their building might collapse, but then again everything seemed rather stable after the initial wave. Despite trusting Varyn's skills, she was relieved about he was fine and was thus able to focus on whoever was still inside the building.

She dragged the unconscious Devaronian deeper inside, so that he was absolutely sure there was no one else on their level before she hurried down the stairs, focused on the living Force of the two people still in this building. With the Force coiled around her and one lightsaber ignited, she slowly approached, carefully moving down the stairs while she sensed their fear, especially when she entered the apartment.

They had undoubtedly triggered the explosion on the ground floor and they were hiding on the first, so as she descended towards their level, she expected they'd welcome her with great fire power. Her muscles were still tensed up and she was ready to pounce, yet as she was still on the stairs she decided she wouldn't let them get any chances.

She stopped and forcefully grabbed the first to yank them forwards into her line of sight, yet her gaze fell upon a very panicked,
pregnant Twi-Lek woman. A trap? It was her initial thought, yet she froze. "Please! Please!! We are...just hiding. Someone was in the basement". Her eyes were still narrowed, but her head slightly tilted. She felt the other one approach and thus waited, but a human man appeared, his eyes widened and his empty hands submissively raised. "Please...we dunno know nothing about this", he pleaded as Kalique did sense some fleeing movement down below.

"It's okay. I'm really sorry" she replied calmly, her suspicions remaining though, but as there were no weapons inside she let go and hurried downstairs towards where the smoke was rising from. She immediately sensed the other presence much stronger and as she reached tbe ground floor, she could still see them leaving through the opened front door window.

Kalique wasted no second as she Force pulled the remaining insurgent backwards through the window again, his head slamming against the frame before she deactivated her lightsaber and used her free hand to remove the stun cuffs from her belt. "I hope you're in the mood for talking" she snarled as she forced him on the ground in front of her, slapping the cuffs around his wrists with his arms pinned against his back.

"I've got two now. Will drag them out and meet you outside" she reported to Varyn before she knocked him out with the Force, leaving his motionless body right in the kitchen and hurrying up to the Devaronian on the roof of the multi story building. Passing the seemingly uninvolved couple, she apologized again, but they seemed more grateful about how the assailant on the ground floor had been dealt with. She did as she said and grabbed the tall Devaronian before she dragged her downstairs too, hoping that Varyn hadn't encountered any more difficulties on his way over.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

While Kalique was inside, Varyn saw the flashing lights of approaching security officers. He let his saber flash out in his hand, suddenly quite glad for the bright red armor that he wore. He may not have loved it in every setting and it certainly had its drawbacks at time that required it to be left behind, but when one was on a diplomatic mission, it paid to stand out from the crowd.

He raised a hand and waved them over, letting them spread out to secure the area. Inside, they would rush to help Kalique with the prisoners.

Good work, CenSec troops are coming in to assist, he said into his comlink, wincing as he took another deep breath at the pain in his ribs.

We need to talk. Face to face, he said. Even on secured, Imperial comms, he didn't trust it. He'd spent enough years working in intelligence, and at this point, there was clearly a conspiracy. That conspiracy was triggering all sorts of latent paranoia in him.

When they were face to face he spoke in hushed tones while CenSec spread out over the scene.

If this is in the government, they may come for the prisoners, he said in hushed tone.

If we can get a button-cam in the cell, we might be able to catch who does it, he said.

@LadyRen